Last Updated: March 01, 2024, 10:33 IST
Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh (L) and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (R) (Image: PTI File)
Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Thursday disqualified the six rebel MLAs.
Himachal Pradesh’s high-profile minister Vikramaditya Singh reportedly met the the six rebel Congress MLAs at Shimla hotel on Friday. Singh, who is the son of Himachal Congress president Pratibha Singh, is said to have told chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to take back the legislators.
“The rebel MLAs have accepted their mistake. We must reconsider as anything is possible in politics,” top sources in the Congress quoted Singh as telling Sukhu.
The turbulence in Himachal was triggered by Tuesday’s cross-voting by six Congress MLAs in the Rajya Sabha election for the lone seat from Himachal Pradesh.
Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Thursday disqualified the six MLAs for allegedly defying a party whip on voting for the state Budget in the assembly.
The disqualified MLAs are Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto.
Congress’ central observer DK Shivakumar said CM Sukhu had taken the responsibility of party leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls and claimed that all differences have been ironed out after speaking to party MLAs individually.
Addressing a press conference Shimla along with another observer Bhupinder Hooda, Shivakumar said the Congress government would last a full term in Himachal when asked if Sukhu would continue as CM.
When pressed for a direct answer on Sukhu’s continuation, Hooda said, “Why are you asking a hypothetical question when Sukhu is the CM.” Shivakumar also said it has been decided to form a coordination committee to sort out all internal matters.