Virbhadra under pressure form Congress: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said some Congress leaders were putting pressure on senior leader Virbhadra Singh to make misleading statements during the Lok Sabha elections.

It was unfortunate that they were trying to dictate terms to a leader of Virbhadra Singh's stature, said the Chief Minister at Dehar in the Mandi district.

Virbhadra Singh of the Congress is the longest-serving Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. He served as the Chief Minister from 1983 to 1990, 1993 to 1998, 2003 to 2007 and 2012 to 2017. 

"Though everyone has the right to express his views in democracy, few Congress leaders are giving wrong feedback to their high command and senior party leader Virbhadra Singh", he said.

"There has always been conflict between Virbhadra Singh and Sukh Ram and now the Congress is trying to delude the public on their names. Virbhadra Singh has publically said he cannot support Sukh Ram because he was dishonest to the party," Thakur said.

He urged the people to ensure victory of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ram Swaroop Sharma from Mandi.

Himachal Pradesh's four Lok Sabha seats -- Shimla (reserved), Kangra, Hamirpur and Mandi -- will go to polls on May 19. IANS