Bhajan's Deputy CM son denies cross voting allegations

Chandigarh, July 23 (UNI) Dismissing allegations of cross voting in the presidential poll leveled by Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Ram Parkash, Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan demanded his immediate removal from the post.

"I am a Congressman and will remain so till my last breath", Mr Chander Mohan said while addressing mediapersons here today.

"I do not have to give a certificate of my loyalty to the party to Dr Ram Parkash", he said while alleging that a conspricy had been hatched to defame him and damage his reputation.

"The HPCC chief seems to have lost his mental balance and hence he cannot head the party and should be removed immediately", he added.

Mr Chander Mohan said that he would be consulting his lawyers and would then file a defamation case against Dr Ram Parkash.

The Deputy CM claimed that the Congress party had 'suffered' ever since Dr Ram Parkash took over as HPCC chief. Loyalists are being ignored and many had even left the party, he claimed.

Dr Ram Parkash had yesterday acknowledged that cross voting had taken place in the presidential poll in Haryana. He had refered to those who had indulged in cross voting as 'Jai Chands' and had said that strict disciplinary action would be taken against them.

The HPCC chief had gone a step further and accused former chief minister and his predecesor Bhajan Lal and his sons--Chander Mohan and Kuldip Bishnoi (MP) of "betraying the party in the presidential election".

Mr Bishnoi who had been suspended from the Congress sometime back for his utterances against chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had talked about 'conscious vote' before the presidential poll.

When asked to identify those who may have indulged in cross voting, Mr Chander Mohan replied, " I cannot say who they were". The allegations against him are baseless, he added.

The Deputy CM said that he would be meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to lodge a formal complaint against Dr Ram Parkash. He would seek his removal from the HPCC, he added.

Asked whether a conspricy had been hatched to oust him from the Deputy CMs post and the Cabinet, Mr Chander Mohan said that he was chosen by Ms Gandhi for this post. " However i have no love for this post and even if i am removed i will remain in the Congress", he added.

He denied that he had discussed any matter related to the presidential poll with his father Mr Bhajan before the voting. " I will have no truck with Mr Bishnoi if he forms a new party", he added in reply to another querry.

UNI