In a major setback to the Congress party, Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday resigned from his post. The announcement has made the cracks apparent in the ruling Congress party which lost its sole Rajya Sabha seat to the BJP on Tuesday.
“…Someone who was the CM of the state for 6 times, due to whom this Government was formed in the state – they could not find a small space for his statue at Mall Road. This is the respect this Government has shown to my late father. We are emotional people, we have nothing to do with posts…But this is very unfortunate…I am very hurt, not politically but emotionally…,” Vikramaditya Singh said after resigning from his post.
Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh resigns
The Rajya Sabha election was spoilt for the Congress due to cross-voting by some of its members. Now Congress party is scrambling to keep its members together to prevent the fall of its government. While the Bharatiya Janata Party is demanding the resignation of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who is set to visit Himachal Pradesh said, “It is not right, this type of horse-trading, someday it might boomerang…I am confident that all our legislators will be loyal to the party…”.
Congress has appointed DK Shivkumar and Bhupinder Singh Hooda as observers for Himachal Pradesh. The two leaders have been tasked to resolve the issues.
Congress seeks disqualification of 6 MLAs who cross-voted, say sources
Shivakumar has lived his political life with the ‘troubleshooter’ image ever since he hosted Congress MLAs from Maharashtra in Bengaluru as the Vilasrao Deshmukh-led government faced a similar crisis back in 2001.
On Wednesday, Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania suspended 15 BJP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, and adjourned the House.
Himachal Assembly: 15 BJP MLAs including Jairam Thakur expelled. Details here
They were suspended for misbehavior and shouting slogans in the House.
On Tuesday BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan defeated Congress stalwart Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha election due to cross-voting by MLAs of the state’s ruling Congress party.
“Ever since the BJP came to power, the misuse of money and machinery…agencies are questioning as if it is their frontal organisation. Due to all this, cross-voting has begun and the switching of parties has started. This is nothing new. It is unfortunate that we could not make a renowned candidate Abhishek Singhvi win the election, we are disheartened. Two of our senior leaders have gone there, I am confident that they will probe the situation and get all the reports on the spot and give it to the high command,” Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said.
On the other hand Harsh Mahajan slammed the Speaker’s action and told media, “Congress Government is toppling. So such attempts are being made – to suspend them. These are delay tactics and are followed in every Vidhan Sabha…Congress has dismantled from here. All the attempts they make now will fail”.
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Published: 28 Feb 2024, 12:24 PM IST