High command’s wish is Himachal CM’s command

Stamping down dissidence and making senior leaders aware of their electoral responsibilities in the crucial Lok Sabha elections, the Congres...

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Stamping down dissidence and making senior leaders aware of their electoral responsibilities in the crucial Lok Sabha elections, the Congress high command has asked Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to direct his ministerial colleagues and legislators to perform.

And performance has been well defined. They have been told to ensure that party candidates in the LS polls get at least as many votes in their respective segments as many they had bagged in the last Assembly elections a year ago.

According to highly placed sources, a verbal directive to this effect was received by Virbhadra from the high command recently and he has, in turn, conveyed it to his ministers and legislators.

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The verbal message from the high command conveyed by the CM is laced with a warning. Any minister failing to maintain the lead from his segment for the Lok Sabha candidate, might lose his job in the Cabinet reshuffle slated after the polls under the new Act seeking to downsize cabinets.

The CM has also said he expects all ministers and MLAs to rush to their respective segments for campaigning. Small wonder one hardly sees of them in the capital. They are camping in their respective assembly segments.

While the Civil Supplies Minister Singhi Ram is on his toes in Rampur, Education Minister Asha Kumari is touring Chamba district and so is the case with Rangila Ram Rao, Chandresh Kumari and other ministers. Besides, two Ministers—Industries Minister Ram Lal Thakur and Forest Minister Chander Kumar—have been fielded for Lok Sabha from Hamirpur and Kangra Lok Sabha constituencies.