Himachal BJP delegation meets Prez, seeks CM's removal

A delegation of prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders from Himachal Pradesh called on President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday to apprise him of "serious corruption charges" levelled against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, while demanding his removal.

Interacting with reporters outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan, former chief minister Shanta Kumar said the delegation sought the removal of Virbhadra because he has refused to resign on moral grounds even after facing serious charges of corruption.

"Probes are going on against allegations of corruption levelled against him. And, perhaps for the first time in the history of India, an incumbent Chief Minister's house was raided," he said.

"Moreover, the Chief Minister and his party are busy defending him, leaving the government and the administration in coma and no work is taking place. Rather, prominent Congress leaders in the state are busy fighting a war of succession among themselves. In such circumstances, the hill state is suffering and developmental works have been jeopardised," he added.

The Member of Parliament from Kangra further said that they sought the Chief Minister's removal as he should have done the same on moral grounds.

"Though it was moral responsibility of Virbhadra to resign, but he failed. Hence, today we approached the President and sought his removal," said Kumar.

The CBI had on September 27 raided 13 places, including Virbhadra Singh's residences in Shimla and Delhi, apart from premises connected to his associates in Solan, after registering a disproportionate assets case against him.

The raids came on a day when his daughter Minakshi Singh was getting married.