A day after Uttarakhand was put under President’s Rule, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh — facing corruption charges — rushed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi here to “inform” her of the “sustained efforts” of the Modi Government to dislodge him using Central agencies with the BJP demanding his resignation claiming that there was dissidence within the State Congress.
But BJP National Secretary and State-in-charge Srikant Sharma maintained that Singh was apprehensive that “he may go to jail” on account of the CBI and Enforcement Directorate’s cases against him and “that’s why is making baseless allegations destabilisation”.
As the BJP maintained that they are “keeping a watch” on the developments in Uttarakhand indicating that it would not be averse to make a bid to form Government there, the Himachal Chief Minister has accused the Centre of trying to “destabilise and topple” his Government by using various Central agencies.
After Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand came under President’s Rule on Sunday, a day before the floor test for majority in the State Assembly.
Singh alleged the BJP-led Central Government has been destabilising Congress-ruled States one by one and accused it of “misusing” Government agencies to embroil him in different cases.
The 81-year-old Chief Minister has been booked by the Enforcement Directorate in a disproportionate assets case. last week, his properties worth Rs8 crore were attached by ED in the case.
According to sources close to Singh, Monday’s meeting with Sonia came through as the Congress president had not met him earlier when he had sought time. Singh spent a few minutes with Sonia at her 10, Janpath residence and is learnt to have discussed the cases against him as well. He later left for Shimla.
Rejecting Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s claim that it was trying to topple his Government, the BJP said he was aiming for “cheap sympathy” and there was discontent in Congress due to corruption charges against him.
“ED has attached his property in Delhi. There is discontent in Congress against him” BJP’s national secretary said. Sharma said Congress suffered from internal crisis in States like Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.