Among two other DCC presidents removed are Virbhadra lieutenant Vir Singh Chauhan of Mandi and Bhagat Ram of Hamirpur. The action of AICC has come as a big jolt to Virbhadra Singh, the CLP leader in the state.

According to PCC general secretary Viplove Thakur, the new appointees are Lajja Ram, a sitting MLA, in Solan, Sher Singh Thakur, former MLA, in Mandi and Suresh Kumar in Hamirpur. A communication about removal of the DCC presidents and new appointments was received here last evening, the PCC general secretary informed.

Though the exact reason for this abrupt removal of the three DCC presidents is not known, but sources in the Congress said AICC general secretary R.K. Dhawan was not happy with their functioning, especially with Arun Sen. He was among the main Congress leaders who were allegedly involved in the incidents of violence and attack on former chief minister Ram Lal Thakur and former AICC spokesman Anand Sharma at Parwanoo during the Congress regime.

A PCC release this evening said the former DCC presidents have been accommodated suitably. Vir Singh Chauhan has been made convenor of the Training Programme cell of PCC, Arun Sen has been nominated to the Panchayati Raj cell and Bhagat Ram appointed convenor of the Freedom Fighters cell in the PCC.