Mankotia issue: HP CM attacks state party chief

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today attacked Congress leader Vijay Singh Mankotia, alleging that he was in the habit of changing parties ahead of elections.
Singh's remarks comes in the wake of Mankotia seeking the chief minister's resignation after being removed from the post of HP Tourism Development Board chairman.
The chief minister also attacked Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu for not taking any action in the matter.
"Mankotia never sticks to any party and was in the habit of changing the party when elections are near," Singh said.
However, on action against Mankotia, Sukku said, "Every leader should exercise restrain and function on the basis of the party's ideology and not personality-cult."

The state Congress chief also said that he enjoyed the support of the party, its high command and 24 MLAs, and eight per cent of office bearers, DCC and BCC presidents have lauded his performance and sent a letter to the leadership.

Sukkhu claimed that the Congress was strong in the state and he was focusing on strengthening the party at the booth level.
The tickets for all four Lok Sabha seats, and the Sujanpur and the Bhoranj Assembly by-elections were given at the behest of the chief minister, he said
Sukku claimed that the party was weak in the Shimla Rural constituency, represented by Singh. "Had the Congress won two more wards in Shimla (Rural) assembly constituency, the party would have installed its Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the Shimla Municipal Corporation polls," he said.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister G S Bali was seen strolling with Mankotia at Mall Road and had tea with at Ashiana.
"It was chai pe charcha," Mankotia said on a lighter note.
Senior Congress leader and in-charge of state party affairs Ambika Soni said that the party would contest the coming assembly elections on achievements of the government.
She asserted that all the poll promises made by the party have been implemented.
Soni said that the party would organise a 'Pad Yatra' to reach out to people at the booth level.