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Support for Chhattisgarh, Arjun cost me my seat: V C Shukla

Congress veteran Vidya Charan Shukla, while affirming his loyalty to the party and its supremo Sonia Gandhi, today said he was denied a ticket for the general election because of his involvement in the movement for a separate Chhattisgarh state.

Shukla told newsmen in Raipur that, "I am prepared to face whatever punishment was given for my commitment for a Chhattisgarh state, but it would be a grave mistake on their part if they felt my political stand on the movement would change.''

He alleged he was denied the Congress ticket this time in a ''conspiratorial manner.'' He claimed his old rival Arjun Singh was instrumental in convincing the leadership at the ''highest level'' to get the Mahasamund seat allotted to his elder brother, Shyama Charan Shukla.

V C Shukla said Sonia was fed wrong information about him, and this became clear after his meeting with her a few days ago. He said he had never thought of leaving the Congress nor to contest the election.

He admitted that responsible Bharatiya Janata Party leaders had sent him''feelers'' after it became clear that he would not be the Congress nominee from Mahasamund. Since he had not responded to the BJP leaders, the ''feelers'' also stopped coming, the former Union minister added.

Shukla said ever since he launched the movement for a separate Chhattisgarh state in May, rumours like a '"denial of ticket from Mahasamund, possibility of contesting the poll from outside Chhattisgarh or even contesting as a BJP-supported Independent were spread in a calculated manner."

''Initially, I had not considered these rumours seriously, but later felt these were spread deliberately and in a mischievous manner," he added.

Asked about S C Shukla's claim that he was instrumental in ensuring victory for his younger brother, V C Shukla said he had won elections even when his elder brother was out of the Congress for a long time.

V C Shukla said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh had developed a new political friendship with his elder brother. However, his doors would remain open, he said, adding that there was no strain in his relationship with S C Shukla.

UNI

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