Tells party colleagues to put chief ministerial ambitions in a steel trunk Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh said today that he was not eyeing the Himachal Pradesh chief ministers post but categorically told those in the race to use their energy and efforts to bring the Congress back to power in the state rather than to hanker for posts. At a party rally organised at Nagrota Bhagwan,the Assembly constituency of former Minister G S Bali in Kangra district,the former CM counseled his party colleagues (without naming PCC President Kaul Singh Thakur ) to put their claims for the chief ministers post in a steel trunk for the time being and hand-over the keys to AICC General Secretary Mohsina Kidwai. Kidwai,who is the Congress partys in-charge for Himachal Pradesh affairs,was present at the rally and had travelled with Virbhadra Singh from Delhi in a special aircraft. Former Himachal minister Chandresh Kumari,who is now a Lok Sabha member from Rajasthan,was also present on the occasion. Thakurs appointment as PCC president last month is being interpreted in some quarters as his journey to the coveted CMs slot but Virbhadra Singh,who is the MP from Mandi,is clearly unhappy with the development. Another contender for the chief ministers post is Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Vidya Stokes,who had lost the battle to Virbhadra Singh in 2003. Despite the presence of top leaders including the PCC president,CLP leader and a score of MLAs at the rally,which was intended to display a picture of unity,the tone and tenor of the speeches clearly reflected serious dissensions and rumblings within the Himachal Congress. Everyone tried to speak more on the chief ministerial race rather than suggest steps to strengthen the party,which has suffered a serious erosion since the 2007 polls. If someone starts projecting himself as a contender for the post,how can you expect him to act unbiased? asked Virbhadra Singh,adding that one has to first ensure that the party is strengthened enough to bring it back to power. Speaking on his own role,Virbhadra Singh said,It is up to the Congress High Command to decided to utilise my services for the party. Left to myself,I am out of the race for any position. Addressing the rally,the Congress leaders attacked the BJP government for its failures and exhorted their party workers to build up a movement and work unitedly for victory in the panchayat elections. I have been asking partymen everywhere I have gone to choose the best candidates for the Panchayats and make a beginning towards the BJPs rout from power by the 2012 Assembly elections, thundered Thakur. The PCC president also touched on the chief ministerial race and said it is a decision that should be left to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. He also announced that I-cards would be issued to Congress members. Kidwai attacked the BJP for blocking Parliament with its demand for a JPC probe in the sale of 2G spectrum. This is an act against democratic norms. If the demand of the JPC probe is accepted,it would be completely unfair, she said. She backed the stand taken by the Government rejecting the JPC demand but agreed on an inquiry into the 2 G spectrum issue. Earlier on her arrival,Congress leaders from Kangra met Kidwai at Gaggal Airport and strongly opposed the entry of Vijai Singh Mankotia in the party. They accused him of working against the interests of the Congress during previous elections and also earlier. Those who addressed the rally included Vidya Stokes,who attacked the states BJP government for alleged maladministration and scams. Equally hard-hitting was Bali,who launched a blistering attack against the government for bringing the states development to a halt and over-looking Kangras interests.
