Shinde’s visit brings to fore divide in Kangra Congress

DHARAMSALA: The two-day visit of the Congress general secretary Sushil Kumar Shinde to politically significant Kangra district having 15 Assembly segments brought to the fore deep divide in state Congress that could cost the party dear in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 18

The two-day visit of the Congress general secretary Sushil Kumar Shinde to politically significant Kangra district having 15 Assembly segments brought to the fore deep divide in state Congress that could cost the party dear in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Though Shinde tried to bring warring factions together, sources here said that the effort did not yield much result.

The sources here said that Shinde called a meeting of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and transport and technical education minister GS Bali on August 17 and tried to bring truce between two leaders. However, the meeting failed to yield any results. The Chief Minister ensured that almost all the Congress MLAs and leaders from Kangra district with the sole exception of GS Bali attend the workers meeting at Dharamsala. Virbhadra did not attend the workers meeting organized by GS Bali in Nagrota Bagwan. The sources here said that earlier the Chief Minister was to attend the police passing out parade at Daroh battalion at 2 pm. However, the program was rescheduled to 11 am just to make sure that the Chief Minister does not attend the workers meeting held at Nagrota Bagwan, the Assembly constituency of GS Bali.

The sources here said that barbs were exchanged between the Bali and Virbhadra Singh camps late in the Kangra district Congress meeting held yesterday late in the evening at Kangra.

The Chief Minister openly attacked his detractors in party in presence of Shinde and termed them as “black and while crows” in a meeting of party workers held at Dharamsala. He even appealed to the Congress workers to ensure defeat of such leaders.

Bali organized a rally in his constituency for Shinde to prove his strength in the district. The rally became a platform for Congress leaders of Kangra who were feeling discriminated by the Chief Minister camp. In the rally zila parishad member from Jawalamukhi, Ruma Kaundal alleged that OBC leaders were discriminated against in the present congress government. Nikhil Rajour, former MLA and brother of Rajya Sabha member Viplove Thakur, also vented ire against the Chief Minister.

HPCC president Sukhwinder Sukhu, who was targeted by the Chief Minister, maintained a low profile during the workers meeting. He was supported by GS Bali who said Sukhu should be respected. In return Sukhu also termed GS Bali as future of Congress in the state.

Due to intense infighting in the Congress, Shinde issued measured statements in Kangra. He stopped short of stating that the party would declare Virbhadra Singh as a CM candidate in the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state but termed him as tallest leader of party.