Shimla, Dec 25: An old war horse, who could not be put down by allegations of corruption or infighting in the Congress, Virbhadra Singh steered the party back to power in Himachal Pradesh with a spirited campaign this time.
The seventy-eight-year-old veteran became chief minister of the state for the sixth time, setting a record. In a major relief to him, a court here yesterday acquitted him of charges of corruption and conspiracy in the much-publicised audio CD case.
“No case is made out as not even a single witness supported the prosecution evidence,” Special Judge B L Soni said pronouncing the judgement in an open court absolving the Congress leader in a matter relating to his tenure as CM in 1989 after a trial that started in September this year.
In his five-decade long political innings, he has been a seven-time MLA, a five-time MP and five-time Chief Minister. He has also been a four-time President of the State Congress and represents the Mandi seat in the present Lok Sabha.
Singh was Chief Minister between 1983 and 85; 1985 and 1990; 1993 and 1998 and 2003 and 2007.
