10 Cong MLAs on verge of joining us: Dhumal

SHIMLA, April 26: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today claimed that at least 10 Congress MLAs were in touch with him abou...

SHIMLA, April 26: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today claimed that at least 10 Congress MLAs were in touch with him about joining the BJP and that the modalities for their proposed entry were being worked out.

Participating in a private channel TV programme Janata ki Adalat, Dhumal said that some of these MLAs would also be given representation in the government after they joined the party. He, however, denied any “bargaining or deal” with the MLAs, and said that a majority of Congress MLAs were feeling “suffocated” with the party leadership. “This will provide greater stability to the government,” he added.

Pradesh Congress Committee president Sant Ram, when contacted, said, “It is a white lie and Dhumal is a habitual liar. In fact, a large number of BJP MLAs who had been denied Cabinet berths are pressuring the Congress to stake its claim for forming the government.” He claimed that the Congress Legislature Party supported Virbhadra Singh and had become extra vigilant after Gulab Singh Thakur fell into the trap.

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The Chief Minister defended his party’s alliance with Sukh Ram and said that the former Communications minister had won in the Assembly elections with the “second-highest margin”.

“Since the people of the state wanted the Congress government to be replaced by a non-Congress alliance, the BJP took the support of the HVC,” he said.

Dhumal gave full credit to party’s national secretary Narendra Modi for playing a key-role in bringing the BJP to power both in Himachal and in Gujarat.

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