Shimla poll fiasco: Virbhadra blames PCC for wrong ticket distribution

Without directly naming the PCC president Kaul Singh Thakur,he said those responsible for the defeat should show courage and accept it.

The Congress lost power in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) election after ruling it for 25 years. In the 25-member Municipal Corporation,BJP bagged 12 seats while Congress got only 10. The remaining seats,including the post of mayor and deputy mayor,went to CPI-M.

Singh,who has served as the chief minister of the state for five times in the past,said that as a loyal soldier of the party he would work with dedication and sincerity if the party high command gives him the responsibility for the polls. However,he declined to accept membership of the manifesto committee of the party headed by Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma – who is junior to him.

While accusing Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal of fabricating a graft case based on controversial CD against him,Virbhadra said if charges are framed,he would quit his ministerial position. “I held several positions in my 50 years of politics. I am not for any post,” he added.

The Union Minister also accused the Dhumal government of starving the state universities of funds while allowing opening of private universities “indiscriminately”. “State funded HP University at Shimla,Agriculture University at Palampur and Horticulture and Forestry University at Solan are being starved of funds,thereby affecting research and teaching there,” he said.

On Nagrota MLA GS Bali’s Rath Yatra,Virbhadra said it was Bali’s initiative and it was for HPCC chief to take appropriate action on it.