Page 30 - 15FEB2019E

Old fight continues under

new Himachal Congress boss

With elevation of Kuldeep Singh Rathore as new PCC chief, Himachal. Rathore belongs to Shimla
district which is also the home turf of
Congress has tried to keep balance between upper and lower former chief minister and Congress
Himachal areas with eyes set on the upcoming Lok Sabha strongman Virbhadra Singh. It was
elections reports rakesh rocky Virbhadra Singh, who was strongly
opposing previous PCC chief Sukh-
winder Sukhu. Now his supporters are
his is a coincidence that was not happy over the development projecting removal of Sukhu as their
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and he sent a strong warning to stop victory. However, truth is that Rathore
Congress’s newly appointed infighting to both the groups. is considered to be staunch supporter
general secretary, has home With elevation of Rathore as new of former union minister and senior
T in Himachal Pradesh’s capi- PCC chief, Congress has tried to keep Congress leader Anand Sharma. How-
tal Shimla. Just few days before her balance between upper and lower ever, it is also true that Vibhadra Singh
elevation as general secretary, Congress Himachal areas. Previous PCC chief have extended support to Rathore
president Rahul Gandhi made another Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu was from the which was not the case with Sukhu.
change. He appointed Kuldeep Singh same lower Himachal area from where Virbhadra Singh criticised Sukhu right
Rathore new Pradesh Congress Com- the leader of opposition and CLP leader from the day he was appointed as PCC
mittee chief in the hilly state. Mukesh Agnihotri belongs to. Sukhu chief in 2012.
With heavy snow on the hills, politi- was from Hamirpur district while Agni- The change in the state Congress
cal corridors in Himachal Pradesh are hotri belongs to Una district, both falls guard was also the result of the efforts
gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha in lower Himachal area. Shimla had of Pradesh Congress incharge Rajni
polls. The Congress has appointed new been a stronghold of the Congress since Patil, who was fed-up of infighting be-
chief in the state and ruling BJP with last many decades. However, in 2017 as- tween Sukhu and Virbhadra camps. She
its programmes is trying every best sembly elections, Congress lost seats to had openly admitted that there was in-
thing to win hearts of the people. Both the BJP from the segments which were fighting in the state Congress and it was
the main players — Congress and the strongholds of the Congress. harming its progress. Despite all her
BJP — have to decide about their can- Now with the appointment of Kul- efforts when both the groups contin-
didates yet. The ticket seekers, on the deep Singh Rathor, Congress has tried ued to clash openly, it is said that Patil
other hand, have already started efforts to create a balance in both the areas. It recommended party high command to
to win the mandate of their respective is also seen as Congress’ effort to regain appoint new president.
parties. its ground in its stronghold of upper This paved way for Rathore, con-
The Congress high command ap- sidered to be a “silent worker” in the
pointed new chief in the state in the The change in the party who never tried or asked for any
second week of the New year. Though, post. With an image of a clean leader,
this change saw a bad beginning when state Congress Rathore has already started touring the
supporters of the outgoing state Con- guard is result of the state.
gress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu Talking to the Tehelka, Rathore said,
and former chief minister Virbhadra efforts of Pradesh “My first and foremost effort is to keep
Singh indulged in open fighting at the unity in the orgnisation. Lok Sabha polls
state Congress headquarters during Congress incharge are very near and we have very less
oath-taking ceremony of the new PCC Rajni Patil, who was time. The Modi government at the cen-
chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore. The more tre have failed miserably to deliver and
serious development was that this fight fed-up of infighting same is the case with the state BJP gov-
went to the extent that FIRs were filed between Sukhu and ernment. So our path is little bit easy. I
by both the groups against each other. am confident that Congress will win all
Obviously, new state Congress chief Virbhadra camps the four seats in the state and we will

Tehelka / 15 february 2019 30 www.Tehelka.com