Summary:
SHIMLA: Right before the parliamentary election, intensified battle for supremacy between former chief minister Virbhadra Singh and former state president Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has put Congress on a sticky wicket in Himachal Pradesh While Singh is accusing Sukhu of weakening the party during his six year’s tenure as state president, Sukhu asserts that Singh resorts to non-constructive criticism. “Singh considers himself as Congress in Himachal Pradesh, while truth is that now time has changed. Containing factionalism has become a challenge for the newly appointed president Kuldeep Singh Rathore.While addressing a public meeting in Hamirpur on Saturday, Singh alleged that under Sukhu, the party was divided in factions.Hitting back at Singh, Sukhu said that it was the habit of Singh to “blackmail” the party before elections. He alleged that instead of party, individuals became stronger in the past, but under his tenure he ensured that party becomes stronger and this has left Singh annoyed. Congress is strong at booth level and for the victory of party Singh is not necessary now,” he added.Sukhu pointed out that though Congress came to power under Singh in 2012 and formed the government in Himachal Pradesh, in 2014 parliamentary election, the party faced defeat on all four seats that Singh fielded candidates of his choice.Sukhu claimed that Singh never wanted Congress to become strong in Himachal Pradesh..