Faction ridden Himachal Congress is working hard on a ‘please-all’ formula to placate all the warring sections. However, it seems that the crisis have deepened with incumbent PCC president Kaul Singh Thakur demanding that he be made the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, a post currently held by party veteran Vidya Stokes.
The new problem cropped up when party high command assured Virbhadra Singh that he will be made the PCC president, sidelined Kaul Singh placed the demand that he be made the CLP leader. This has put Stokes, a foe-turned-ally of Virbhdara, in a spot.
However, the veteran leader is in no mood to relinquish the post and has rushed back to the National Capital to present her case. Even legislators Sukhwinder Sukhu, Rajesh Dharmani, Rakesh Kalia and many from Virbhadra camp have reportedly met the high command supporting Stokes’ continuation as the CLP leader.
AICC sources said, Stokes was offered organizational role at national level or made a governor – a post which she was offered twice earlier, but it’s not confirmed whether Stokes has taken up the offer. Stokes, who was once Virbhadra’s bitter political foe, had recently lent support to the former CM in his fight against Thakur’s chief ministerial ambition. This, however, led to her losing the support of all the Virbhadra detractors. Insiders say party wants to make Thakur the CLP leader to give a proper representation to both parts of the state. But it seems tough for the high-command to placate Vidya Stokes as she had earlier too had rejected the offer of governorship.
