Sukh Ram vs Virbhadra: the highs and lows

Former Union minister Sukh Rams conviction in a 13-year-old corruption case has come as a fresh blow for the Himachal Congress unit...

Former Union minister Sukh Rams conviction in a 13-year-old corruption case has come as a fresh blow for the Himachal Congress unit,just over a year after its defeat by the BJP in the Assembly elections. Sukh Ram had earlier accused former chief minister Virbhadra Singh of framing him in the corruption case. When Sukh Ram became deputy chief minister after his Himachal Vikas Congress joined hands with the BJP in 1998,he tried to settle political scores by recommending a CBI probe against Singh. But the CBI turned down the government plea. Later,after the Congress returned to power in 2003,and Sukh Ram returned to the Congress,he supported the candidature of Singhs wife,Pratibha,as MP from Mandi. This time,Singh is gearing up to contest the Mandi seat.

Cash-for-question MP in BJP poll panel

Suresh Chandel,the former BJP MP from Hamirpur who was one of those expelled from the Lok Sabha for his alleged involvement in the cash-for-question scam,is back in action. Chandel,who has been keeping a low profile since the scam,has been appointed convenor of the state party units poll management committee for the coming Lok Sabha elections,probably in recognition of his organisation management skills. Chandel had made a significant contribution to Prem Kumar Dhumals victory from Hamirpur. Last year,after Dhumal became chief minister,his son,Anurag Thakur,was elected the Hamirpur MP.

Fighting for a slice of the election pie

Ahead of Lok Sabha polls,a fierce battle has erupted between the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress on who actually deserves the credit for major centrally-funded projects sanctioned for Himachal like the IIT at Mandi,central university in Kangra district,Rs 500-cr ESI Hospital and Medical College,Institute of Fashion Technology,SAIL project,Institute of Hotel Management and Rs 4,000-crore ADB funding for power. The BJP credits the personal equation between Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh,but PCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur claims that people of Himachal Pradesh will only remember Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi as the true well-wishers of the state.

Dhumal alleges bias by UPA Govt

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal was instrumental in convincing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to sanction an industrial package for all special category states,including Himachal Pradesh,Uttaranchal and Jammu amp; Kashmir.The 10-year package 2003 to 2013,which offered tax holidays to beneficiary states,irked neighbours like Punjab and Haryana. The UPA government later curtailed the time period till 2007,but extended it to 2010 following pessure from Himachal Pradesh. Dhumal has alleged discrimination,saying that the Centre has reduced the time period in two states Himachal and Uttaranchal while giving favoured treatment to Jamp;K,where the Congress is in power.