BJP demands HP CM's removal on corruption charges

Hamirpur, May 29 (UNI) BJP National Vice-President and former Union Minister Shanta Kumar today demanded removal of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and suspension of Lok Sabha member from Mandi constituency, Pratibha Singh, following allegations of corruption against them.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said the only option left with the Congress high command after the release of the CD was his removal from the Chief Minister's post and the party.

Congress legislator from Shahpur constituency, Vijai Singh Mankoita, had yesterday released a CD purportedly containing telephonic conversation between Mr and Mrs Singh and a third person, alleging that the three were talking about a ''business deal''.

Mr Kumar urged Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee to initiate action against the Chief Minister's wife and Congress MP on the analogy of BJP MP Suresh Chandel who was suspended following his involvement in the ''cash for query scam''.

''The speaker should initiate similar action against Mrs Singh and suspend her from the Parliament now,'' he said.

He said the CD issue would be the BJP's major weapon against the Congress in the ensuing Hamirpur Lok Sabha by-polls.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister P K Dhumal has called upon Mr Singh to resign on moral grounds after the ''business deal'' has been made public by his own legislator.

''The issue becomes even more serious if the CD is eighteen years old", he said at a public meeting here.

Mr Dhumal said the BJP's charge that the state Congress Government was neck deep in corruption had been proved by the CD.

UNI