Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Virbhadra Singh on Friday withdraw his plea filed in the high court seeking quashing of a First Information Report into the CD case against him or a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the matter.
With the induction of seven members, the strength of the cabinet rose to nine.
Union Minister Virbhadra Singh, who was slapped with charges of conspiracy and corruption in a 23-year-old case, on Monday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi, triggering speculation of his resignation.
Trouble is brewing in the Congress in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh with senior leader Virbhadra Singh offering to resign from party committees constituted for the state assembly elections later this year.
In the 2017 assembly elections, a record was set as former chief minister Virbhadra Singh and his son Vikramaditya Singh were elected and incidentally the duo were oldest and youngest members of the house.
Under attack from Bharatiya Janata Party, former Union Minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday brushed aside allegations of income tax evasion, money-laundering and forgery as "false and fabricated" and threatened action against those behind the "malicious" campaign ahead of Himachal assembly polls.
Quitting as Union minister on Tuesday, Virbhadra Singh has now set his eyes firmly on the next assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh later this year. These tidings may stir mixed emotions in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party there
Dismissing allegations that he had received money from a private steel company, former Union minister Virbhadra Singh on Saturday threatened legal action against all the people behind the "motivated campaign".
In the wake of framing of charges against Union minister Virbhadra Singh in a graft case, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said he should tender his resignation and if he refuses to do so, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should sack him immediately."BJP demands that Vir Bhadra Singh should resign immediately. If he refuses to do so, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should sack him," party spokesperson Jagat Prakash Nadda said.
Speaking to ANI, Pratibha Singh said, "After all the big responsibilities were given to me by Sonia Gandhi ji, she told me that she has elected me as the party's state president where I would have to visit in all 68 constituencies and also to make sure that the party wins in the state. I did that work with utmost sincerity and the result is in before all of us today."
On the last day of the Budget Session, the National Democratic Alliance today created uproar in the Lok Sabha over the issue of alleged corruption involving Union Minister Virbhadra Singh and Scheduled Caste Commission Chairman Buta Singh and demanded action against them.
Former minister Virbhadra Singh, who resigned from the Union Cabinet after charges were framed against him in a corruption case, has been made the chairman of the Congress' campaign committee for Himachal Pradesh, ahead of the assembly polls in the state. Singh, a five time chief minister, had earlier said that his resignation should not be seen as an admission of guilt as he was going to fight the case to its logical conclusion.
In the chronically underdeveloped Shimla Rural segment from where charismatic state Congress chief Virbhadra Singh is fighting elections, corruption appears to be a non-issue after the five-time former Himachal chief minister was hit by graft allegations.
Alleging that the ruling Congress was becoming synonymous with corruption, the Bharatiya Janata party on Saturday alleged that there was ample evidence against Congress leader Virbhadra Singh of receiving money from a private steel firm and demanded an immediate probe into the matter.
As initial trends indicated a Congress victory in Himachal Pradesh, party veteran Virbhadra Singh said on Thursday that he had put in his "best efforts" in the polls and it was for Sonia Gandhi to decide the party's chief minister.
The BJP in Himachal has its own problems. But it is not a party that sits around twiddling its thumbs.
The announcement from the Congress lawmaker brought fore cracks in the party, which on Tuesday lost the sole Rajya Sabha seat to the Bharatiya Janata Party and is apparently scrambling to keep its members together to prevent the fall of its government.
The move came a day after the Election Commission announced dates for the forthcoming assembly polls in his state.
A two-decade-old graft case has proved to the nemesis of veteran Congress leader Virbhadra Singh who resigned as Union Minister on Tuesday, a day after charges were framed against him by a Himachal Pradesh court.
Congress and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been attacking him for alleged corruption, to approach the Lokayukta, with the veteran leader asserting that he was ready to face the "consequences".
'I have been successful in Bollywood and I hope that I will get success in politics as well.'
'Things were not being heard. What we brought to the high command's notice. Had they taken any action at that time, then it would have not happened.'
On the eve of the Haryana assembly poll results, the issue of chief minister-ship has taken centre stage in the Congress with all eyes on its high command's next move as the party expects to regain power after 10 years in the state.
The erstwhile royals of Himachal Pradesh, who once commanded their own space in politics, are losing their charm as only two of them won in the state polls this time while two others lost at the hustings.
Considered close to former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, he had served as the state's industry minister.
Nath's resignation was accepted by party president Sonia Gandhi keeping in view the party's 'one person-one post' policy.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi also appointed Harsh Mahajan, Rajender Rana, Pawan Kajal and Vinay Kumar as the new working presidents of the Himachal Pradesh PCC.
The Union Council of Ministers was expanded on Thursday with the induction of 59 ministers
Mukesh Agnihotri, the leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly, was administered the oath as the deputy chief minister.
With the Congress emerging victorious in Himachal Pradesh, state party president Pratibha Singh is considered a key frontrunner for the chief minister's post, closely followed by former party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and outgoing Congress Legislature Party leader Mukesh Agnihotri.
Later, Pratibha Singh said she and her son Vikramaditya Singh have received a joint invitation and she is yet to take a call on attending the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya on January 22.
The CM contended that the raids on his residence and other premises were conducted with 'mala fide intentions and political vendetta' by the CBI.
The Congress top brass on Wednesday rushed former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DK Shivakumar to Shimla to parley with members of the party which is facing loss of support and risks losing power in the state.
The ED summons have come close on the heels of filing of a chargesheet by the CBI against Singh, his wife and others for allegedly amassing assets worth around Rs 10 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income.
Congress leader Virbhadra Singh recently resigned as the Union minister for micro, small and medium enterprises following allegations of corruption. He tells Kavita Chowdhury how he intends to fight both his detractors and his opponents in the upcoming Himachal Pradesh assembly polls
Accused by the Bharatiya Janata Party of taking bribe, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh arrived here today to present his version to the Congress high command while slamming the opposition party of indulging in "malicious propaganda" against him and his family.
Protestors demanding the demolition of an illegal structure in a mosque in Shimla's Sanjauli area were lathi-charged by security forces on Wednesday after they broke police barricades during a demonstration.
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