Dhumal, Shanta hold closed-door meet to cover chinks

DHARAMSHALA: Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who was on a foundation laying spree in the Sulah constituency on Saturday, had met BJP vice president Shanta Kumar at his residence over breakfast and held a closed-door meet.
The meeting between the two political big wigs was extremely private as even IPH minister Ravinder Singh Ravi, social justice empowerment minister Sarveen Choudhary and other local MLAs did not attend it.
However, none of the leaders have disclosed anything about the discussions during the half-hour meeting.
The leaders are believed to have discussed the ongoing issues about carving out new districts from Kangra and the Annandale matter.
BJP leaders were divided over creation of a new district out of Kangra. The Shanta faction has always opposed the move terming it as a conspiracy by the Dhumal faction, aimed at undermining Shanta Kumar.
Industries minster and local MLA Kishan Kapoor, considered close to Shanta faction, has continuously opposed the demand for new districts. On the other hand, IPH minster Ravinder Ravi, known as the blue-eyed boy of Dhumal, has supported the demand for a Palampur district.
Meanwhile, the visit of the CM to Sulah constituency was criticized by former Congress MLA from here, who also sat on protest but was later removed by police.
"These projects are incomplete and not fit for inauguration. The CM should verify the facts. He has been misguided by the authorities" said Jagjivan Pal, former MLA of Sulah.
The Congress has stated that this is total misuse of government machinery, aimed at political gains before assembly elections ahead.
On his one day tour to Sulah assembly segment, Dhumal has laid foundation stones for different development schemes valued at Rs 22.23 crore. It included rest houses, irrigation and drinking water supply schemes.