Ministers come out in support of CM on ''godfather'' issue

Shimla, Nov 30 (UNI) Two senior ministers of the Himachal Pradesh Congress government today came out in support of state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on the ''godfather'' issue, saying that the BJP was trying to mislead the state by continuing to raise the issue.

BJP leaders who have never been elected to the state Aassembly should mind their own business instead of seeking the chief minister's resignation at the drop of a hat, state Irrigation and Public Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur and state Agriculture Minister Raj Kishen Gaur said in a joint release here.

Refuting the BJP's charge that the state government was influencing the inquiry against suspended ADGP B S Thind, they said the matter should have come to an end after the government suspended the officer under the services and conduct rules following his arrest by the CBI in Chandigarh recently.

They said it was not clear as to what sought of inquiry the BJP was demanding when the CBI was already inquiring into the matter.

Instead of trying to tarnish the chief minister's image, the BJP should explain whether he was former HP State Subordinate Services Selection Board (HPSSSB) Chairman's godfather while defending him inside and outside the Vidhan Sabha, they said.

''The chief minister is at the helm of the affairs of the state due to the faith imposed in him by the people and not due to the BJP,'' the minister said.

The party that had failed in electing its President should not point fingers at others, Mr Thakur and Mr Gaur said.

Besides, the BJP had never been returned to power on its own and the formation of the previous BJP government was only a political accident, they said, adding that even the previous PK Dhumal government was a minority government.

Refuting allegations of corruption against the ministers of the state government, they said since they had no other issue they were raising the issue to remain in news.

UNI AS DP MS KN2113