Shinde declares truce in Himachal Congress

About four months before the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, the ruling Congress on Friday posed a united front with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Himachal Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu sharing a common platform indicating that the differences between the two factions have been resolved. 

Declaring a truce within the party, AICC General Secretary In-charge of the State, Sushil Kumar Shinde said that senior leaders of the party had decided to fight the Assembly elections together to keep the communal forces out of power in the State.

Admitting factionalism in party, Shinde addressing a Press conference in Shimla said that there were differences in the party, and it was common for a democratic political set up. Taking a dig at BJP, Shinde said that Congress was far more tolerant than BJP, which had shown doors to many of its senior leaders, who devoted all their lives for the saffron party.

He said Congress tolerates difference of opinion, unlike BJP which had shown doors to its senior leaders lal Krishan Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Shatrughan Sinha just because they expressed their dissent against the power centre in the saffron party.

Shinde made it clear that party would not announce its Chief Ministerial candidate before the elections and name of Chief Minister would be decided after winning the polls.

The AICC leader also declared that the high command had decided to give a young face to the party in the state by fielding more 

youngsters. 

Responding a query on the rising indiscipline in the party, especially those who raised slogans against state party chief Sukhu, he said that some of the workers who raised slogans had been served show cause notices by the HPCC. However, he had urged state unit leaders not to take stringent action.

Feigning ignorance about the letter written by 6 party MlAs seeking ouster of Virbhadra Singh from the post of Chief Minister, Shinde said that no such letter had been brought to his notice in the Congress legislative Party meeting. He said that he himself, with Ranjeet Ranjan, the Co-Incharge discussed in detail with Virbhadra Singh and state president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. "All difference have ended and both the leaders resolved to work together," he added.  

Indicating action against senior Congress leader Vijay Singh Mankotia, Shinde said that party would take disciplinary action against Mankotia as it could not bear frequent attempts by any leader to damage reputation of senior leaders.