There seems to be no let-up in the utterances by Virbhadra Singh against state Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu even as the central leadership is hopeful that the six-time Chief Minister will relent.Virbhadra, who was on a tour of his Shimla (Rural) Assembly constituency today, again expressed displeasure over the state of affairs in the party. “It is sad to see the state of affairs in the Congress now as it seems to be following the principle “jiski laathi uski bhains” (might is right),” he remarked.The remarks by Virbhadra came at a time when All-India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sushil Kumar Shinde is trying to forge unity between the CM and Sukhu in view of the elections. Shinde is on a three-day tour of Chamba district and is accompanied by Sukhu and other local Congress leaders.Virbhadra said he had remained the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president on five occasions, out of which he was elected four times and not nominated. “The state president, District Congress Committee president, block president and other party office-bearers were elected earlier, but all this seems to have changed now,” he remarked at Ghanatti. He said in earlier days, even the Congress Working Committee (CWC) used to be elected and not nominated.Such utterances by the CM indicate that he is no mood to relent and will remain adamant on his demand for replacing Sukhu with a man of his choice. He has made it clear to the high command that if he does not have a complete say, he will prefer not to contest and retire gracefully from politics.Virbhadra said in other political parties, the situation was no different. “There should be complete democracy in any political outfit and new members should keep joining the party. It is only then that everyone will get an opportunity to work,” he remarked. He even cautioned against political opportunists, who, he said, never worked in the interest of the party or the state. “People should vote to elect their MP, MLA or even panchayat pradhan on the basis of their performance and not on mere speeches,” he said.
