Mankotia, Pathania vie to take credit for SDM office

DHARAMALA: Infighting in the Shahpur Congress has come to the fore again with two senior leaders Vijai Singh Mankotia, vice-chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board, and Kewal Singh Pathania, vice-chairman of the Forest Corporation, competing with each other to take credit for yet to be opened SDM office at Shahpur.

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamala, September 27

Infighting in the Shahpur Congress has come to the fore again with two senior leaders Vijai Singh Mankotia, vice-chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board, and Kewal Singh Pathania, vice-chairman of the Forest Corporation, competing with each other to take credit for yet to be opened SDM office at Shahpur.

While Mankotia was welcomed by his supporters for getting the SDM office to Shahpur, Pathania had organised a similar show on Saturday. In a show of strength held at Shahpur today, supporters of Mankotia felicitated him for getting the SDM office for the area.

Some pamphlets were also distributed during the function in which Pathania was targeted.

Pathania said he would give credit to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, his mentor, for opening the SDM office at Shahpur. He said Mankotia and BJP MLA from Shahpur Sarween Chaudhary had been Cabinet ministers. However, they could not bring SDM office to Shahpur. Now they were coming forward to take the credit for it. Virbhadra Singh had started a number of projects in Shahpur at his request, Pathania said.

The notification for the SDM office was yet to be issued. Once the notification was issued the CM would come here and inaugurate the office.

Mankotia had contested unsuccessfully from Shahpur during the last Assembly elections. Both leaders have been organising different programmes during the visit of the CM.

As both leaders have rivalry in Shahpur, it was advantage for the BJP MLA Sarween Chaudhary from the area.