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Journalism of Courage
The Himachal Congress Saturday forwarded the names of Pratibha Singh and Rakesh Dharwal to the party chief Sonia Gandhi to take the final call on the candidate for the Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll scheduled for June 23. Pratibha is Chief Minister Virbhadra Singhs wife and a former MP from Mandi while Dharwal is a Congress leader from Mandi district.
Two applications were received by the party one each from Pratibha Singh and Rakesh Dharwal. It was unanimously decided to forward both names to the high command and leave it to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi to take the final call, PCC chief Sukhwinder Sukhu said after a partys election committee meeting in Shimla.
Top leaders including Virbhadra Singh,ministers Vidya Stokes,Kaul Singh Thakur,GS Bali and former MP Chander Kumar attended the meeting.
Sources in the Himachal Congress said that forwarding of the names is a mere formality as party high command is sure to approve Pratibhas name. Reliable sources said that partys district committees of Kullu and Mandi have been told to adopt resolutions in favour of Pratibha to strengthen her claim.
Pratibha was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004 defeating BJPs Maheshwar Singh.
In an equally significant development,the BJP announced to field former minister and sitting MLA Jairam Thakur. BJP chief Rajnath Singh approved the recommendations of partys state poll committee regarding the bypoll by clearing the name of Thakur,a four-time MLA..
