Virbhadra turns 84, in no mood to hang up boots

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 23

Being in no mood to hang up his boots, six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who turned 84 on Saturday, once again expressed displeasure over the nomination of office-bearers, right from the block to AICC level, in violation of the party constitution.

The indomitable “Raja” virtually gave a show of strength at his residence “Holly Lodge” on the occasion of his 84th birthday. Supporters and a large number of Congress MLAs, including state Congress president and Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Mukesh Agnihotri, reached his house to greet him.

Though he made it amply clear that he would not contest the Lok Sabha elections if asked to do so by the party, he remained non-commital on his wife Pratibha Singh, taking the plunge from the Mandi parliamentary seat. “I cannot comment whether she will contest or not, it has to be discussed,” he said.

Virbhadra once again used the occasion to convey his displeasure over the nomination of office-bearers, right from the block to the AICC level.

“The manner in which everyone right from the top to bottom is nominated is in violation of the party’s constitution, which I have time and again conveyed to everyone, including the new leadership,” he remarked.

He clarified that he was not against any individual, but opposed nomination as this would prove to be suicidal for the party.

“It is all in the mind. I still feel like an 84-year-old young man, having the same energy like I had when I was a youth,” he said. Regarding his detractors terming his political innings as over, he said as long as he was alive and fit enough to move around, he would not break his contact with the people of the state and keep serving them.

When asked about how he would rate the performance of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Virbhadra said it was too early to judge him.

“It will be in his interest if the Chief Minister makes his own decisions and not get influenced by the opinion of others,” he said.

On the role of the RSS in the functioning of the government, Virbhadra said the organsitaion should not interfere in decision making.

Non-commital on wife contesting poll 

• Though he made it amply clear that he would not contest the Lok Sabha elections if asked to do so by the party, he remained non-commital on his wife Pratibha Singh, taking the plunge from the Mandi parliamentary seat. “I cannot comment whether she will contest or not, it has to be discussed,” he said.
• He once again used the occasion to convey his displeasure over the nomination of office-bearers, right from the block to the AICC level.