The one-man-one-post tradition of ruling Congress is snowballing into major controversy with the request of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for reconsideration of the tradition being set aside by the Central leadership.
With the Central leadership having turned down the request of Chief Minister and the same being conveyed to the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, loyalists of Virbhadra Singh are likely to face axe. Sukhu was hurriedly summoned to Delhi on Wednesday evening amid his Hamirpur parliamentary constituency tour where the Central leadership conveyed him to follow the tradition of one-man-one -post in letter and spirit.
Among the first who could become the target of the tradition are Chief Parliamentary Secretary Inderdutta lakhanpal and Baba Hardeep Singh. While lakhanpal heads Congress Sewa Dal in the State and is also CPS, Baba is chairman of Himachal Pradesh building and other construction workers welfare board and also heads the State unit of INTUC.
Sources in the party said that it is very likely these two would become the first target of the tradition adopted by the party and soon they will be asked to explain their choice. The issue of one-man-one- post had cropped up recently after the letter of AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi. Congress State in-charge Ambika Soni had also reiterated in her first visit to the State that organisation post and Government post cannot go hand in-hand.
However, the Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had opposed any such move and had requested the central leadership to reconsider the move in the hilly State looking at the political and regional balance to be maintained in the party and in the State. Around seven loyalists of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who are enjoying dual posts in party and in Government may come under line of fire with the implementation of this tradition.
Meanwhile, names of two senior Congress MlAs Mansa Ram and Kuldeep Kumar have been cleared by central leadership for appointment of chairman of boards and corporation.