After poll loss in 3 states, Congress faces trouble in Himachal, state chief Pratibha accuses CM Sukhu of ignoring her for crucial event
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Rift threatens to cast shadow on the party’s unity in upcoming Lok Sabha elections
The Newz Radar
SHIMLA: A fresh round of discord between the Himachal Pradesh government and the Congress organisation has surfaced, the trigger being the upcoming one-year anniversary celebration of the state government.
The clash reached the public domain as Congress state president and Mandi MP Pratibha Singh criticised Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu alleging she was not taken into confidence while planning the event.
Pratibha expressed dismay at not being taken into confidence regarding the anniversary program, stating that governments are formed in collaboration with party organisations. She emphasised that despite Chief Minister Sukhu’s roots in the party, sidelining the organisation was an undesirable move.
Sukhu himself acknowledges his rise through the ranks of NSUI, Youth Congress and the Congress organisation, ultimately leading to his current position as Chief Minister.
The Himachal Pradesh government is gearing up for a significant programme scheduled for December 11 in Dharamshala, Kangra, marking its one-year milestone. However, Pratibha claims that she was not informed about the event, pointing to a lack of coordination between the government and the party organisation.
In a surprising move, Chief Minister Sukhu, currently in Delhi, extended invitations to Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, former national president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi for the event.
Despite Chief Minister Sukhu conducting a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in Shimla yesterday to discuss the programme, Pratibha alleged she was not invited, raising concerns about unity within the party. The timing of this internal dispute, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, is seen as unfavourable for the Congress.
This public spat follows Pratibha’s previous grievances where she approached the high command to express dissatisfaction over the delay in cabinet expansion, board corporation appointments and the anointment of leaders from a specific faction.
Now, she has openly criticised the government’s approach to the one-year celebration, intensifying the existing political cold war between the government and the party organisation. The rift threatens to cast a shadow on the party’s unity and cohesion in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
