Gaur expresses surprise over Mankotia's offer to join BSP

Shimla, July 18 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Raj Krishan Gaur today expressed surprise over suspended Congress leader Vijai Singh Mankotia's offer to him to join the BSP since Congress had no future in the state.

''I have been a dedicated and faithful Congress worker for the last five decades now and have worked for strengthening the party and the suspended Congress leader is only trying to mislead the people of the state,' he said in a release here.

Mr Gaur said he was proud to be associated with the Indian National Congress party, which had played an important role during the struggle for the country's freedom.

The Congress under the leadership of State Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had scaled new heights in development and infrastructure development, he said.

He said Mr Mankoita's offer to him to join the BSP was nothing more than ''an outburst and frustration of an irrelevant person''.

UNI