War of words between Virbhadra, Sukhu escalates ›

Congress will not be able to win the Lok Sabha elections if Sukhu is allowed to continue as the state party president. VIRBHADRA SINGH, former Himachal CM

SHIMLA: The war of words between veteran Congress leader Virbhadra Singh and Himachal Congress president Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu escalated on Tuesday with the later describing the former CM as the ‘liar’.

Sukhu’s reaction came a day after Virbhadra attacked him saying that the Congress party was weak in his hands.

Virbhdra on Monday had said the Congress will not be able to win the next Lok Sabha elections, to be held in 2019, if Sukhu is allowed to continue as the state president.

Sukhu said, “Virbhadra is a senior respected leader but he is a liar. He is a power driven politician.”

He claimed that the senior party leaders Anil Sharma, Major Vijay Singh Mankotia, Balbir Verma had quit the Congress due to differences with Singh.

He lambasted Singh for describing veteran leader Sukh Ram as Aya Ram Gaya Ram and said, “Virbhadra humiliated Sukh Ram and that is why he quit the Congress.” Other Congress workers and members did not leave the party because of me, I succeeded to bind the party workers, he said.

Singh has been doing politics of opposing others, alleged Sukhu and said, “Opposing others has become his habit. Virbhadra is opposing me since I have always promoted youth in the politics.”

Further lambasting the former CM, he said, “Singh has always opposed others in the politics. Be it Ramlal Thakur, Sukhram, Vidya Stokes, Anand Sharma, Kaul Singh Thakur and Narayan Chand Prashar.”

Despite being the CM for six times, he could not bring the party in power and is now blaming others for the defeat,he added.