A day ahead of Supreme Court's hearing in the disproportionate assets case against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, all eleven state cabinet ministers today expressed solidarity with him and accused the BJP of indulging in "politics of vendetta"
In a joint statement here, the ministers charged the BJP with misusing the central investigation agencies against Singh to smear his image and using them to terrorise its political opponents, which they said, would not be tolerated.
Alleging that BJP was trying to destabilise the Congress government led by him, they said it was for the first time that the premises of a sitting chief minister were searched by central investigating agencies, and that too on the day of the marriage of his daughter.
Stressing that Singh enjoyed full support of the Congress party, the ministers said the alleged designs of the BJP to destabilise a democratically elected government would fall flat. "The Congress government is stable and would complete its full five years term," the statement said.
It may be recalled that the CBI on September 26 raided the official residence of Singh in Shimla and 12 other places in connection with an alleged disproportionate assets case on a day his daughter was getting married.
On October 15, the CBI had moved the Supreme Court seeking urgent hearing on its plea challenging Himachal Pradesh High Court's order granting protection against possible arrest and other relief to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife in the disproportionate assets case.
Singh returned here this afternoon after consulting his lawyers in Delhi in connection with the CBI plea.
While both the loyalists and detractors of the chief minister are closely watching the situation and waiting for the outcome of the hearing in the apex court, the BJP opposition is optimistic about change of guard in HP Congress.
The BJP had been demanding ouster of the chief minister since the CBI registered an FIR against Singh and his wife in the disproportionate assets case.
