Biggest district underrepresented in Congress state govt

Shimla, July 29 (UNI) The unceremonious exit of Himachal Pradesh's former tourism and transport Minister of Himachal Pradesh G S Bali from the Cabinet has reduced the representation of the biggest district, Kangra, in the council of ministers to just one.

Kangra, which has 16 seats in a House of 68 members, has lost five cabinet ministers since the formation of the present Congress Government in March 2003.

Chander Kumar, a senior Cabinet Minister resigned in May 2004 after he was elected to Lok Sabha from Kangra Parliamentary constituency and later three ministers, Vijai Singh Mankotia, Chandresh Kumari and Brij Bihari Lal Butail, were axed in downsizing exercise and now another Cabinet minister G S Bali has become victim of a sting operation by a private news channel.

The issue of more representation to Kangra district had emerged as a major issue during the past two years and the chief minister had occasionally hinted that the Council of Minister would be restructured to give more representation to the district.

The Himachal Cabinet now has 10 ministers, including the Chief Minister, with two vacancies and its anybody's guess whether the chief minister would fill these vacancies or go in for restructuring.

UNI