Munish Sood
MANDI:
Former minister and senior Congress leader Prakash Chaudhary has come down heavily on BJP veteran and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, accusing him of lowering his stature through “undignified and politically motivated” remarks against the Congress.
Reacting to Shanta Kumar’s comments made in Palampur on Saturday, Chaudhary said, “Shanta Kumar was once a towering leader of the state, but statements like these have made him look small in public life. Instead of reflecting wisdom, his words only show desperation for remaining in the headlines.”
Earlier in the day, Shanta Kumar had attacked the Congress, calling it “a family-run party” and claiming that Rahul Gandhi would “perform the last rites of the organisation”. He further dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s recent allegations of “vote theft” as a “political stunt” devoid of substance, adding that the Congress leader was in the habit of making “irrational and immature statements.”
Chaudhary hit back sharply, saying Kumar himself has been pushed to the margins within his own party and no longer holds any relevance in the BJP. “Shanta Kumar is not taken seriously even by his own party today. He is speaking out just to stay in the limelight. In fact, the BJP itself has turned into a two-man show under Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, where no one else is allowed to grow,” Chaudhary charged.
The Congress leader accused the former CM of having a history of “careless remarks” that often embarrassed his own party and suggested that the veteran leader should now withdraw from active politics. “At his age, he should rest instead of making reckless comments that hurt his legacy and dignity,” Chaudhary remarked.
