Virbhadra dares BJP to announce CM candidate for HP polls

Rahul Gandhi had on Saturday announced that Singh would be the party's chief ministerial candidate.

Shimla, Oct 9: Ahead of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who will be leading the Congress campaign for polls, on Monday said the BJP too should announce its chief ministerial candidate for the polls.

Kicking off the Congress' campaign in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh, party Vice President Rahul Gandhi had on Saturday announced that Singh would be the party's chief ministerial candidate.

"It has been decided that I will lead the Congress in the polls and form the government if the party wins," Singh told media persons.

He also said the BJP should announce its chief ministerial candidate as the people want to know who would lead the party in the Assembly polls.

Asked from which constituency would he contest the polls as he has already announced that he would leave his Shimla (Rural) seat for his son Vikramaditya, the chief minister said, "I can contest from any constituency except Shimla (Urban) and our target is to win 45-plus seats in the 68- member Assembly."

He, however, did not clarify who from Congress would contest the Shimla (Urban) Assembly seat. About distribution of party tickets for the polls, Singh said winnability would be the sole criterion and candidature of sitting MLAs would not be axed unnecessary.

PTI