Fault lines have started surfacing in the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee following an open public attack on HPCC chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on his style of functioning by State Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
As elections to the State are a little over a year away, division in the Congerss rank and file is bound to weaken the cause of the party, more so when Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is facing cases of the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI.
Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister, Pandit Sukh Ram, who has reportedly supported PCC President Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu fired the first salvo. He said Sukhu was doing what was in the supreme interest of the party. His style of working should not have been questioned.
"I am hurt to read reports in the Press that an avoidable controversy had been started when the general elections are at the door-step next year.” he lamented.
On being questioned on the comments of the former Telecom Minister, two senior Ministers Vidya Stokes and Thakur Kaul Singh said “No comments” while Asha Kumari supported the Chief Minister saying that Raja does everything in the interests of Himachal Pradesh.
Two senior Congress leaders of Kangra said on the condition of anonymity that if the Congress High Command did not read the writing on the walls, Himachal could also go the Arunanchal way.