THE NEWS FREEDOM
SHIMLA, FEBRUARY 28
In a day marked by political upheaval, Himachal Pradesh witnesses ongoing uncertainty within the Congress party. The passing of the budget in the assembly without BJP MLAs provided temporary relief for the Congress, as 15 BJP MLAs, including former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, were expelled by the Speaker, with the remaining 10 legislators exiting the House. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania reserved his order on a Congress petition seeking the disqualification of six-party MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election, adding to the political turmoil. Senior advocate Satya Pal Jain, representing the six MLAs, requested one week’s time for filing the reply, citing the principle of natural justice.
The recent Rajya Sabha election in Himachal Pradesh saw cross-voting by certain Congress members, leading to BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan’s victory over Congress stalwart Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Despite the BJP’s numerical disadvantage, with only 25 MLAs compared to Congress’s 40 MLAs and three independent MLAs, victory was secured with cross-voting from Congress members.
In a fresh blow to the Congress, Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh resigned from his ministerial post following the party’s defeat to the BJP in a single Rajya Sabha seat. Despite his resignation, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has not accepted it. Vikramaditya highlighted the lack of coordination among ministers and expressed dismay over attempts to undermine his role. He emphasized the importance of party cohesion and the fulfillment of promises to the people.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed confidence in addressing Vikramaditya’s concerns satisfactorily, describing him as a younger brother. Chief Minister Sukhu addressed media reports suggesting his resignation, stating, “I want to clarify that I have not resigned. The people of Himachal are with us, and our MLAs stand united. I can confidently assert that we will continue to govern Himachal Pradesh for the full five-year term.”
Congress observers, including Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, met Sukhu, state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, and Vikramaditya to navigate the ongoing political crisis. Observers also hold one-on-one meetings with MLAs.
Later in the evening, Vikramaditya refrained from pressing on his resignation until a decision is made, emphasizing the significance of party unity over individual interests. “However, I wish to clarify that I have not withdrawn my resignation so far,” he said.