Raja faces a coup?

[ANIL TYAGI]

Raja faces a coup?

anand sharma on the warpath

So far the impression was that Sonia Gandhi was uncomfortable dealing with Raja Virbhadra Singh. Now it turns out that Rahul Gandhi appears to be similarly disposed towards the former Himachal chief minister. As AICC general secretary in-charge of the Youth Congress, Rahul not only had Virbhadra Singh’s son’s election as State Youth Congress President cancelled but also banned him from contesting again. And now in the screening committee set up for Himachal Pradesh, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit has been made chairperson and MOS Home Jitender Singh a member. Both are known to be anti-Virbhadra. Unhappy at being not included, the Raja has sent his resignation from all committees to Sonia Gandhi. Without him, the party cannot hope to win in Himachal. Yes, he was made head of the campaign committee for Himachal Pradesh but not consulted on its composition. Six of the members were “almost on their death bed”. Then, his bete noire Anand Sharma was made incharge of the manifesto committee and called a meeting at his ministerial office in Udyog Bhawan. He obviously wanted to show Raja down since Virbhadra has resigned from his ministership. The latter did not attend. Three years of the Raja being humiliated and put down by the party leadership have taken their toll on the Himachal Pradesh Congress. Now, senior Congress managers are trying to mollify the Raja and bring him back into the fold. They have proposed the appointment of a working president for Himachal Pradesh Congress and since the Raja is an MP, his wife may get the ticket to contest the assembly polls! But Virbhadra Singh is clear that he will not become another Harish Rawat of Uttarakhand. If the leadership is determined not to hand over the state to him, he is equally determined that he will get his way, in or out of the party!! g