Congress in quandary in poll-bound Himachal

The problems of Congress have compounded in Himachal Pradesh where Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh appears to have rejected the peace efforts by the party leadership by continuing his attacks on the state unit chief.

The 81-year-old Singh’s defiance has put the Congress in a quandary as it can neither sack the state unit president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu as demanded by the chief minister nor can it take action against the veteran leader as
elections are just two months away.

“If there is a constructive suggestion, there is always scope for improvement in every party and we are open to it,” AICC spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters here when asked about Singh’s criticism of the central leadership.