HP CM, cabinet in war of words over leaked CD

A war of words on Monday broke out between Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his cabinet colleague Kaul Singh Thakur over leak of the latter’s purported phone conversations, reflecting the far from cordial ties between the two.

The Chief Minister said in a statement that he was “<g data-gr-id="30">pained</g> by the allegations levelled directly or indirectly” by Thakur, the Health Minister, who should have exercised restraint while responding to the charges against him.

He said he did not believe in politics of bullying nor was he of any threat or pressure.

Singh said that it?was “nothing but rumour and mere imagination that he was offered the post of Chief Minister as he was going to quit Congress.

Chief Minister said he had <g data-gr-id="36">deep</g> regard for his cabinet colleagues and give due consideration to most of their priorities. At the same time, he also expects them to reciprocate the same by maintaining the dignity of the post of Chief Minister.

He added that telephones were tapped during the BJP rule in the state. Singh said Thakur should have chosen to wait for verification and authentication of the CD instead of pointing fingers unnecessarily at him or any government officer.

He said he did not consider any minister or politician as <g data-gr-id="31">hurdle</g> and always preferred to take everyone along for the development of the state.

The remarks of the Minister were “unwarranted” which had “hurt” him and it seemed the Minister was “under the influence of some mischievous elements”, the Chief Minister said. Earlier replying to questions of <g data-gr-id="32">mediapersons</g> at Palampur, Singh said that the telephone of a contractor was under surveillance in connection of with a case in which payment was allegedly made without construction of the road and phones of some other people engaged in conversation with him <g data-gr-id="27">were</g> also taped.