Bali's resignation was sought on party high command direction: CM

Shimla, Aug 4 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today took great exception to former transport and tourism minister G S Bali's yesterday's statement and said his resignation was sought following directions from the party high command.

Talking to mediapersons here after presiding over a function to observe the state's founder chief minister Yashwant Singh Parmar's 101st birthday, he said Mr Bali was asked to put in his papers on the directions of the party high command.

Mr Singh said the sting operation telecast by a private news channel was also viewed by the senior party leaders, who directed him to seek the former transport minister's resignation.

He was reacting to Mr Bali's yesterday's comments in a rally wherein he said he that he was not asked to give his explanation and was instead asked to put in his papers.

Reacting sharply to Mr Bali's comments, he said the former minister was aware that his resignation was sought by the party high command since he was with him when he was directed by the senior party leaders to seek his resignation.

Referring to the former minister's statement that the next state chief minister would be from Nagrota Bhagwan, he said it was wrong to say that a single constituency would elect the chief minister, which would be elected by 68 assembly constituencies of the state.

''The people of Nagrota Bhagwan would only elect their legislator.'' Replying to a question whether he had received Mr Bali's request for a judicial inquiry into the sting operation, Mr Singh said he was consulting legal experts and would decide on the issue in due course.

The political activity was picking up in the state with assembly elections only six months away in February next year.

UNI