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Journalism of Courage
Even as the Lok Sabha elections are drawing near and the party is preparing to launch its campaign, the factions in the ruling Congress continue to be at daggers drawn.
This was more than evident at the Shimla District Congress Committee meeting here on Wednesday where tempers rose and leaders of the two factions, of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and HPCC chief Vidya Stokes, virtually came to blows.
It was over filling vacant posts in the HPCC where 16 new faces have been inducted. While Virbhadra expressed resentment over his nominees not been included in the panel, Stokes asserted that the list was finalised after taking every aspect into account.
‘‘Many persons who made little contribution to the party have been taken in. Their only qualification being that they speak against me at one platform or the other. Many dedicated leaders have been left out,’’ Virbhadra complained.
‘‘Every care has been taken to accommodate every one,’’ reacted Stokes, adding that there was no need to make fuss over these things.
It was only a week ago that the two factions were at loggerheads over the issue of who will be elected to the Rajya Sabha. While the Virbhadra camp had reservations over the name of the All India Congress Committee spokesperson Anand Sharma, the Stokes group backed him.
Earlier, the choice of candidates for the Lok Sabha seats and how many Independent MLAs were to be made associate members of the Congress Legislature Party brought the two groups on the path of confrontation.
