HP CM reaches Delhi to depose before ED

SHIMLA:An uneasy calm prevails in Shimla as political circles are agog about future of beleaguered Himachal chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who is engaged in the most crucial legal battle of his political career, spanning half-acentury.

Himachal chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who has been summoned by enforcement directorate on April 20, held a series of meeting in Shimla on Wednesday, including with the state police head Sanjay Kumar.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had summoned Virbhadra in the money laundering probe against him and others on April 10.

Consequently, ED action comes close on the heels of the CBI filing a chargesheet against him and his wife along with others for allegedly amassing assets worth around ₹10 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income.

Virbhadra has been under pressure to depose before various central agencies probing the case.

However, he has been trying to shrug off allegations against him, blaming Union finance minister Arun Jaitely, former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal and Dhumal’s sons Anurag and Arun.

The opposition BJP has already escalated the campaign asserting for CM’s resignation. BJP had launched a campaign ‘Mafia Hatao Pradesh Bachao’ targeting his ministers.

The saffron party has hardened its posture against Congress after it single-handedly won Bhoranj in Prem Kumar Dhumal’s bastion.

On the other hand, infighting in the Congress continues. After the formation of his government in 2012, Virbhadra Singh has been at loggerheads with state party chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Virbhadra and Sukhu aired their difference in the open notwithstanding the party in power.

Transport minister GS Bali also opened a front against Virbhdra Singh, demanding the much promised unemployment allowance in the state for the state government. Virbhadra announced it on the budget but when he held a thanksgiving rally, he skipped it.

Later, Sukhu campaigned separately during Bhoranj byelections with irrigation and public health minister Vidya Stokes and health minister Kaul Singh Thakur.