Having opened a front against his own government and chief minister Virbhadra Singh, the transport and civil supplies minister, GS Bali, may have announced a 'padyatra' for jobless youths, but as earlier it remains his lonely battle as none of the leaders from the anti-group or his home district are coming out in his support.
Bali represents the Nagrota Bagwan Constituency of Kangra- the district which sends maximum number of legislators to the state assembly.
The flamboyant leader also holds sway in the Kangra District Congress Committee. However, so far, no one has issued any statement in his favour, except for the district party officials, who too have opposed the move to divide Kangra into organisation, but said nothing about the issue (increased number of unemployed) that Bali has been raising.
Known for his apt political maneuvering, Bali while staging a revolt against the government on May 2, had announced to undertake a 'padyatra' to highlight the soaring problem of unemployment as he put number of jobless youth at 11 lakh.
The chief minister snubbed the claims made by his cabinet colleague, making the growing differences among them more apparent.
"He (Bali) may have taken up a right issue, but most of the leaders, even those from the anti-Virbhadra group, see it as part of his pressure politics," said a senior Congress leader from Kangra on condition of anonymity.
"This is just a repetition of what we have been seeing for over two and half year- since the Congress came into power in the state," he added.
"He (Bali) may have taken up a right issue, but most of the leaders, even those from the anti-Virbhadra group, see it as part of his pressure politics," said a senior Congress leader from Kangra on condition of anonymity.
"This is just a repetition of what we have been seeing for over two and half year- since the Congress came into power in the state," he added.
Notably, almost two-years-ago, Bali caused a flutter in political circles of Himachal Pradesh by offering to resign from the state cabinet and had even returned his official vehicle and has been traveling in his private SUV since then.
However, he backtracked after the CM adopted a tough stance, stating that he would not wait for single minute to accept if someone resigns from the cabinet.
Apparently in the eye of the storm over 'flawed recruitments' in the state transport corporation government gunning for him, he again put on a show of strength at his home-turf Nagrota Bagwan in December 2014.
"No one wants to become part of this game until he clears his stand and doesn't take a back step," said another leader from Kangra, who owes allegiance to the anti-chief minister group.
Meanwhile, what will be Bali's next step remains a thing to be seen, particularly when he is face to face with both the chief minister and state party chief.