Congress summons party leaders in Himachal Pradesh

Worried about a divided Congress party in Himachal Pradesh ahead of the polls later this year , Congress President Sonia Gandhi has ordered all top party leaders of the state to report at 10 Janpath tomorrow, party sources said.

The list of those summoned includes union ministers Virbhadra Singh, Anand Sharma, Congress state unit president Kaul Singh, CLP leader Vidya Stokes and former MP Viplove Thakur.

They are expected to meet Sonia Gandhi on Monday, sources told Business Standard. Having fared badly in the recent Assembly elections, the Congress wants to put its house in order in the hill state where the party remains a faction ridden.

 

Even though the BJP has decided to fight the next election under P K Dhumal, it is also faction ridden with some senior disgruntled leaders including four time MP Maheshwar Singh leaving the party recently and forming a new outfit the Himachal Lokhit Party.

Also senior party leaders like Shanta Kumar and Kangra MP Rajan Sushant among others have criticised the party for allegedly promoting corruption .