Virbhadra bats for son at Sunni cricket ground

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 30

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s day-long tour of his home constituency today turned the maiden Shimla Rural Cricket Cup into a political pitch for his son Vikramaditya Singh, conveying that the junior royal scion of the erstwhile Bushair state is a candidate for the coming Assembly election.

Accompanied by IPH Minister Vidya Stokes, a guest of honour, his wife Pratibha Singh, two sitting MLAs Sanjay Ratan and Ajay Mahajan, former MLA Sohan Lal and two CPSes, the Chief Minister, addressing a gathering, said Vikramaditya was elected as the state Youth Congress president and not nominated or imposed from top, making an oblique reference to several nominated PCC office-bearers.

The Chief Minister announced that the government would start PG classes at Government Sunni College in Hindi, English, commerce and history and agreed to start geography and journalism at the graduation level.

He gave trophy along with a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 to the winning Karyali team which defeated Jagriti Club, Dudhalti, by one wicket, which got Rs 50,000. He gave the Best All Sports cricket kits to the participating 218 teams of tournament.

To lure the rural youth, Vikramaditya said the government would hold Rozgar Mela at Sunni soon for the unemployed youth.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Rs 48 lakh horticulture office building at Sunni and laid the foundation stone of Balika Ashram.