Shimla:Politics could once again cast its shadow on sports as the possibility of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh giving a miss to the India-South Africa T20 match at Dharamshala is very high despite having earlier confirmed his presence at the invitation extended to him by BJP MP and HP Cricket Association president Anurag Thakur.
Even though there is no official confirmation about Virbhadra not attending the match, he is learnt to be not too keen to witness the match. The T20 match between South Africa and India will be played at the HPCA stadium at Dharamsala on October 2.
The fact that Virbhadra had accepted the HPCA invite for the match had sent a signal that there could be some let up in the bitter war with the HPCA, headed by Anurag Thakur, son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal.
Close aides of the Chief Minister said he could be leaving for Delhi in a day or two. So it might not be convenient for him to be there for the match. However, political circles point out that post the CBI raid at his residence, the CM was not to keen on going to Dharamsala and now the distasteful remarks by HPCA officials have given him an additional reason to change his mind.
Sources said the remarks by Arun Dhumal, younger son of PK Dhumal, on social media that they had extended the invitation to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and not Virbhadra Singh seemed to have peeved the Congress minister and legislators.
“Having made such demeaning and insulting remarks, does the HPCA expect the Chief Minister to still come for the match,” quipped an MLA.
They point out that not just Arun Dhumal but comments of even some HPCA office bearers that the invite is for the Chief Minister and not Virbhadra have not gone down well with the ruling party.
In fact, some of the sports associations, including the Himachal Pradesh Football Association, have made a submission to the Chief Minister that he should not attend the match. In stead, he should expedite inquiry in the cases registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau against the HPCA.
The HPCA is under the Vigilance scanner for alleged revenue and forest violations for the construction of its stadium at Dharamsala during the BJP regime. They have been at the receiving end after the formation of the Congress regime in the state in December 2012.
Even though there is no official confirmation about Virbhadra not attending the match, he is learnt to be not too keen to witness the match. The T20 match between South Africa and India will be played at the HPCA stadium at Dharamsala on October 2.
The fact that Virbhadra had accepted the HPCA invite for the match had sent a signal that there could be some let up in the bitter war with the HPCA, headed by Anurag Thakur, son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal.
Close aides of the Chief Minister said he could be leaving for Delhi in a day or two. So it might not be convenient for him to be there for the match. However, political circles point out that post the CBI raid at his residence, the CM was not to keen on going to Dharamsala and now the distasteful remarks by HPCA officials have given him an additional reason to change his mind.
Sources said the remarks by Arun Dhumal, younger son of PK Dhumal, on social media that they had extended the invitation to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and not Virbhadra Singh seemed to have peeved the Congress minister and legislators.
“Having made such demeaning and insulting remarks, does the HPCA expect the Chief Minister to still come for the match,” quipped an MLA.
They point out that not just Arun Dhumal but comments of even some HPCA office bearers that the invite is for the Chief Minister and not Virbhadra have not gone down well with the ruling party.
In fact, some of the sports associations, including the Himachal Pradesh Football Association, have made a submission to the Chief Minister that he should not attend the match. In stead, he should expedite inquiry in the cases registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau against the HPCA.
The HPCA is under the Vigilance scanner for alleged revenue and forest violations for the construction of its stadium at Dharamsala during the BJP regime. They have been at the receiving end after the formation of the Congress regime in the state in December 2012.
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