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Congress mulling alliance with Sukh Ram in Himachal
Shahid K Abbas in New Delhi |
January 17, 2003 04:34 IST
The Congress might go in for a limited seat adjustment arrangement with the Himachal Vikas Samiti, led by former Union minister Sukh Ram, for the February 26 assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh, Congress sources indicated on Thursday.
Congress general secretary in charge of the state Mohsina Kidwai refused to comment on the issue.
AICC general Secretary and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ambika Soni adopted a cautious note on the issue.
"Local units are authorised and have been asked by the Congress president to give their feedback on such issues. So far, the Himachal Pradesh unit has not submitted its report to the Congress president," Soni said without ruling out the possibility of an electoral alliance with the HVS.
Congress sources admitted that though an alliance with the HVS could improve the party's prospects, it would be difficult to justify an alliance with Sukh Ram, who is perceived as a corrupt politician.
Though former assembly speaker and Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Vidya Stokes is believed to be open to the idea of an alliance with the HVS, another chief ministerial aspirant Virbhadra Singh is strictly opposed to any such move.
According to sources close to the latter, while an alliance would hardly help mobilise much support for the Congress as most of HVS workers are already discreetly working for the Congress. On the other hand, they said, it could be difficult for the party's workers to explain their proximity to Sukh Ram while accusing the BJP-led government of corruption.
Senior Congress leaders are scheduled to address pre-poll meetings in Himachal Pradesh between Friday and Monday.
On Friday, R K Dhawan and Bhajan Lal would address a meeting in Solan, Motilal Vohra and Mohsina Kidwai would address three meetings in Hamirpur (on Saturday), Dharang in Mandi district (on Sunday) and in Dharamshala in Kangra district (on Monday).
Meanwhile, amidst speculation that some organisational changes might be in the offing in Madhya Pradesh, Ambika Soni and the MPCC chief Radhakishan Malviya were scheduled to visit Rewa on Friday as part of the party's programme to organise at least one thousand district level meeting in the state before the state assembly elections in November.
