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One time rivals join hands to win election
People who gathered at Dehar area under Balh segment of the district were caught by surprise when they spotted Pandit Sukh Ram and Virbhadra Singh, one time political rivals, sharing stage at an election rally. Roop Upadhyay reports.
People who gathered at Dehar area under Balh segment of the district were caught by surprise when they spotted Pandit Sukh Ram and Virbhadra Singh, one time political rivals, sharing stage at an election rally while campaigning for Prakash Chaudhary, Congress party candidate from Balh segment.
The last time both the leaders shared stage was while campaigning for Parliament elections at Seri Manch at Mandi in 2004.
Pandit Sukh Ram, despite his ill health is determined to campaign for his son Anil Sharma and three other Congress party candidates who won state assembly elections from Pandit Sukh Ram's own political front, Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) in 1998. HVC won five seats and Sukh Ram favoured Bhartiya Janta Party in a hung assembly then and Prem Kumar Dhumal sworn in as state BJP second chief minister.
Balh Congress party candidate, Prakash Chaudhary was one among the winner candidate on HVC ticket who joined the BJP government in 1998 and remained minister for five years and joined Congress party later on.
It is said that Virbhadra Singh managed to win confidence of maximum number of MLA in 1993 to become chief minister while Sukh Ram lost the political race and lost the chance to become state chief minister.
The episode soured relations between both the leaders throughout these years and Sukh Ram took revenge in 1998 by supporting BJP to form government.
But tough political battle in state assembly elections this time has forced both the leaders to pose united once again.
Both the leaders, however, denied any differences between them while addressing the gathering at election rally at Kansa Chowk at Dehar area of Balh segment but could not control making indirect satire against each other.
