In a jolt to the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh, State party chief and Mandi MP Pratibha Singh on Wednesday announced that she has decided not to contest the Lok Sabha election as the ground situation was “not favourable” and workers were disheartened.
“I have withdrawn my name and conveyed to the (party) high command that I will not contest the election and will fully support any candidate which the party central leaders consider suitable,” Ms. Singh, the wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and mother of Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, told reporters said.
The shock announcement comes at a time when the Congress government in the State is struggling to keep its house in order after six party rebels, along with three Independents, voted in favour of BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha elections last month.
