Virbhadra emerges persistent fighter

BAIJNATH, Nov 23: Virbhadra Singh is no more in power, neither he enjoys the undisputed status of holding the Congress ladder in the state s...

BAIJNATH, Nov 23: Virbhadra Singh is no more in power, neither he enjoys the undisputed status of holding the Congress ladder in the state single-handedly anymore with his overbearing personality, still he has emerged persistent fighter in politics with authority refusing to elude his presence. He has put in maximum in the Baijnath by-election 8211; that may not even bring any drastic change in his current position immediately.

8220;People give me so much of regard and response. I do not find any difficulty or depression in campaigning being out of power in the state as the masses do not make me feel out of power at any moment in my political routine with their warmth of love8221;, claims Virbhadra Singh while talking to ENS after a public meeting at Mahakal in the constituency.

And similar is his own spirit as he keeps himself busy in the hectic electioneering with heavy issues in hand against the ruling party, while simultaneously working to rejuvenate the Congress rank and file in Baijnath which had supposedly fallen apart with the state Congress chief airing the aspirations of many Congress leaders in the area for ticket against the family of the late Sant Ram.

Sudhir Sharma, the Congress candidate and late Sant Ram8217;s son is an important presence in the campaign trail of Virbhadra Singh who had his staunch loyalist and right hand in Sant Ram in the Congress politics in the past years.Virbhadra Singh carefully elaborates the merits of the late Sant Ram and the need to vote for his son before the Baijnath electorate, but is cautions enough to promote his own expectations being in Congress keeping in view the threat posed to his leadership by the rival Congress group dominant in the party organisation in Himachal now. He is surrounded by his supporters in the party at election stage, and in complete isolation with the campaigning undertaken by the state Congress chief Sat Mahajan8217;s group, he has his election agenda focussed against the 8220;union of BJP leadership with corruption in the name of HVC alliance8221;. 8220;We will not shake hands with Sukh Ram until and unless he is absolved of all the corruption charges in the court of law,8221; Virbhadra Singh mentions at almost allthe election rallies.

His loyalist Vijay Singh Mankotia, on the forefront, categorically projects him as the 8220;next Chief Minister of Himachal8221; to subtly counter the propaganda of the rival Congress group.

Virbhadra Singh consistently carries along his popular grass-root approach in electioneering in Baijnath as he runs against time to recognise and listen to the 8220;little problems8221; of lower rung Congress workers and people in the field with equal interest and sincerity.