The Hindu : Cong. may plump for Veerbhadra Singh?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 04, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

Cong. may plump for Veerbhadra Singh?

By Javed M. Ansari

NEW DELHI March 3. The president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, Vidya Stokes, today indicated that she was in the race for the post of Chief Minister. Speaking to newspersons after meeting the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, she said that the leadership issue "was still open.''

According to sources, the party's central leadership is in no mood to introduce bitterness in the sweet taste of victory. And Veerbhadra Singh, by all indications, is set to become the next Chief Minister.

The Congress high command has deputed the AICC general secretary in-charge of the State, Mohsina Kidwai, and R. K. Dhawan and Motilal Vora, to oversee the election of the new leaders at tomorrow's meeting of the legislature party in Shimla. Though the party maintained that its elected representatives would choose their leader, it looks like the MLAs will authorise Ms. Gandhi to choose the new Chief Minister.

The high command is keen on ensuring that the new Government is a composite one and accommodates rival factions and the different regions of Himachal Pradesh. It would, therefore, like Mr. Singh to function as a leader of the entire party and not as a factional leader. Though Mr. Singh enjoys the support of a sizeable group in the Congress, a large number of his rivals have also been elected. Hence, it is unlikely that he will have his way completely. Apart from Ms. Stokes, there are others such as Vijay Singh Mankotia, Harsh Mahajan, G. S. Bali, H. S. Bhajji and Raj Kishan Gaur with whom he does not see eye-to-eye.

There is also a demand that a larger say be given to the new Himachal region in the decision-making process by appointing a Deputy Chief Minister. The party has won nearly 20 of the 40 seats from the region and the high command is also reportedly not averse to the Deputy CM idea.

Ms. Kidwai, meanwhile, appeared confident that the process of government formation would be smooth. ``We realise our responsibilities and we will not let the people down,'' she said. Describing the Congress victory in Himachal Pradesh as a ``victory for secularism,'' she said its impact would have nationwide repercussions. Asked if the result would have been different if a Chief Ministerial candidate had been projected in advance, Ms. Kidwai said it was not the party's practice to name a Chief Minister before the elections.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

We have kept our word on providing jobs: PM

A magnificent obsession?

Opposition for rollback of fertilizer prices

Cong. may plump for Veerbhadra Singh?

Action against Shanta Kumar likely

No-trust motion against U.P. Speaker withdrawn

BSNL slashes STD rates

Charges framed

Pak. denial