Once again, rivals of Virbhadra Singh have started their activities and trying hard to make in-roads in the Virbhadra camp whereas the staunch supporters of the former Chief Minister are also keeping a close watch on every Congress MLA.

This time, top Congressmen from the state, including the Virbhadra detractors, assembled in the wedding ceremony of the daughter-in-law of HVC supremo at New Delhi in the third week of December as Sukh Ram had invited almost all the Congress leaders from the state.

``All Congressmen stayed their for hours and held discussions among one another on the pretext of attending the ceremony,'' a close confidant of Virbhadra Singh, who was also invited to attend tthe wedding ceremony, revealed to ENS.

Sources in the party said a Congress leader from Kangra had accompanied HVC chief Sukh Ram when he went to 10 janpath to invite Congress president Sonia Gandhi. They stayed their at least for 40 minutes. Sukh Ram reportedly made clear to Sonia Gandhi that he never spoke against her.

Silent front-runners for the post of the CLP leadership are former Speaker Vidya Stokes who is known for her proximity with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Ram Lal Thakur, former Chief Minister and Chandresh Kumari, MP of Rajya Sabha. Ram Lal has many sympathisers in the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and in the PCC. Above all, he is from the apple belt, which has always played a major role in the state's politics.

Of late, some senior top state Congress leaders including J.B.L.Khachi, Harsh Mahajan and former Speaker Kaul Singh Thakur flayed the Dhumal government for initiating CBI probe against Virbhadra Singh and defended him (Virbhadra Singh) tooth and nail.

But the Virbhadra detractors say the appointment of Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as the Himachal Youth Congress president against the wishes of Virbhadra Singh was a clear indication that process had started to revamp the party in the state.

Virbhadra Singh had reportedly shot off two separate letters to the party president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes opposing the appointment of Sukhu. But former Chief Minister Ram Lal Thakur had welcomed the Sukhu's appointment. Apart from this, a former Youth Congress president Harsh Mahajan had complimented Munish Tiwari, All India Youth Congress chief, for elevating Sukhu to the post of Youth Congress president. A few Congressmen see the CBI move as a countdown for the replacement of Virbhadra Singh but a protege of the CLP leader said, ``There is no such move for there are corruption charges against the HVC leader.'' He added, ``Corruption being main plank of the party in the recently-held assembly polls, it is a wishful thinking,''. Majority of the MLAs are with Virbhadra Singh, he maintains.