M A I N   N E W S

Vidya Stokes elected PCC chief
Virbhadra, 15 MLAs keep away
From Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Dec 17 — Mrs Vidya Stokes, a former Speaker, was unanimously elected President of the Pradesh Congress Committee, even as Mr Virbhadra Singh, Congress Legislative Party Leader, and his supporters abstained from the meeting held at the party office here today.

Her name was proposed by all delegates present at the meeting. Since only one name was proposed for the post, Mr Hanumant Rao, chairman of the pradesh election authority, declared Mrs Stokes elected.

He said as many as 70 of the total 94 delegates attended the meeting. Barring Mr Virbhadra Singh and Mr Kaul Singh, most senior leaders, including Mr Ram Lal Thakur, Mr Sat Mahajan, Mrs Sarala Sharma, Mr Gian Chand Tutu, Mr J.B.L. Khachi, Mr N.C. Prasher, Mrs Chandresh Kumari, Mr Rangila Ram Rao and Maj Vijay Mankotia, were present. Significantly, the absentees included 15 legislators, mostly supporters of Mr Virbhadra Singh.

Mr Hanumant Rao told mediapersons that all senior party leaders were informed about the decision of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, who was authorised by the PCC delegates to nominate the party chief, and also about today’s election. Asked about the absence of Mr Virbhadra Singh, he said the CLP Leader must have been busy “elsewhere.”

He maintained that all complaints concerning irregularities in the conduct of organisational poll had been settled by the high command. He said there were no dissension within the party and it would fight the BJP in the state unitedly under the leadership of Mrs Stokes.

Soon after her election, Mrs Stokes formally took over charge from Mr Sat Mahajan.

Talking to the media, she said her top priority would be to strengthen the party at the grassroots level so that its programme and policies could be effectively implemented. She did not foresee any problems in taking along senior leaders, including Mr Virbhadra Singh, and was confident that they would extend full cooperation to her.

She said she was in no hurry to constitute the state executive and party committees. The exercise would be undertaken in consultation with Mr Moti Lal Vohra, all-India General Secretary and in charge of Himachal Pradesh, after the winter session of the Vidhan Sabha.

Regarding the party plan to bring a no-confidence motion against the Dhumal government, she said a final decision would be taken at the meeting of the Congress Legislative Party on December 20.

Mrs Vidya Stokes is the third woman state President of the Congress after Mrs Satyawati Parmar and Mrs Sarala Sharma.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, when contacted, maintained that he had not received a formal intimation regarding today’s election. Mr Hanumant Rao and Mrs Stokes did not talk to him on the telephone at 8.00 p.m, but he was not informed about the modalities for the election. He said the party had left the choice of the PCC chief to Mrs Sonia Gandhi and “we have accepted her decision.” This was evident from the unanimous election of Mrs Stokes to the top party post.

To a question, he said he would have had no objection to proposing her name. However, he did not like to join a crowd of 70 in the exercise. “Is it not enough that we have accepted Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s decision,” he asked.

He congratulated Mrs Stokes on her election and assured her full cooperation in strengthening the party and meeting the challenges ahead.

Mr Virbhadra Singh was critical of the manner in which the organisational poll was held and said gross irregularities were committed with the connivance of Mr Hanumant Rao and Mr K.D. Sultanpuri, chairman and member of the pradesh election authority, respectively. He maintained that over 24 complaints were still pending with the central election authority.

He said if these complaints were settled “properly”, the composition of the PCC would be changed to a large extent.

The former Chief Minister was of the view that the manner in which elections had been conducted had weakened the party. A systematic attempt had been made to marginalise him by certain leaders. But none had the ability to do so. The ultimate power was in the hands of the rank and file and the people who would decide the issue when the time came.

His detractors had tried to capture the party organisation by means fair and foul which would not do any good to the party. He said Mr Hanumant Rao did not have any direction from the high command. He had been influenced by some other consideration. He had certainly damaged the party in the state. He had betrayed the trust reposed in him for conducting a free and fair poll.

Asked if he would be replaced as the CLP Leader to “restore regional and caste balance,” Mr Virbhadra Singh quipped that the factors which were not taken into account in the selection of the PCC chief could not be applied for the CLP Leader. There could not be a different yardstick.