CM to order probe against Bali

Shimla, Aug 9 (UNI) Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has decided to hold an inquiry into the conduct of former Tourism Minister G S Bali at his controversial birthday party on July 26 at Dharamsala.

The Chief Minister told mediapersons here that he would request the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court to spare a sitting judge to hold the enquiry.

Mr Bali had himself written to the Chief Minister demanding an inquiry into the matter by a sitting High Court Judge. The former minister was accused of dancing with call girls at the party He had, however denied the charges.

Mr Bali, who was made to resign from the cabinet after the expose by a TV channel which aired the video recording of his birthday party, had all along maintained that the party was arranged by his NRI friend and he was present there for just five minutes to cut the cake.

Referring to the defamation case filed by him against the former minister and state BSP convener, Vijay Singh Mankotia, the Chief Minister said the audio CD released by him was not genuine and now it was for him to prove the allegations.

Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said the BSP had no future in Himachal as the Scheduled castes and OBCs were not such a deprived section in Himachal as they were in Uttar Pradesh.

The social engineering formula would not work in Himachal or states like Madhya Pradesh as major political parties, Congress and BJP, were well entrenched in these states.

UNI