Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has tendered his resignation amidst discontent among Congress legislators, posing a challenge to the stability of the state government, reports said on Wednesday. The Congress high command did not request Sukhu's resignation; rather, the Chief Minister offered to step down voluntarily, reports claimed.
Further complicating matters for the ruling Congress, the party faced another setback with the resignation of influential minister Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday. Vikramaditya Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, expressed dissatisfaction with the disregard for the opinions of party MLAs.
15 BJP MLAs suspended from assembly
The political tension in the hilly region intensified when 15 BJP MLAs, led by Opposition Leader Jairam Thakur, were suspended from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday. This action came after their call for a floor test, prompted by the ruling Congress's loss of the sole Rajya Sabha seat in the state.
Vikramaditya says father disrespected in government
Following his resignation as minister, Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh attributed the outcome of the Rajya Sabha polls, where the ruling Congress was defeated by the BJP, to the prevailing governance system established since the government's inception last year. He also expressed disappointment over the party's treatment of his late father, Virbhadra Singh.
"Someone who was the Chief Minister 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 on Mall Road. This is the respect this government has shown to my late father," Singh said.
Priyanka Gandhi in crisis management role
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has assumed responsibility for addressing the crisis in Himachal Pradesh. She briefed Congress President Kharge on the state's situation and has been communicating with various MLAs, including Vikramaditya Singh, who spoke with her yesterday. Gandhi is closely monitoring the unfolding events and staying in frequent contact with Sukhvinder Sukhu and Rajiv Shukla.
Rajya Sabha poll embarrassment for Congress
In a surprising turn of events in Himachal Pradesh, the ruling Congress suffered a setback as the BJP emerged triumphant. Harsh Mahajan of the BJP secured victory by defeating Congress's Abhishek Manu Singhvi in a closely contested election that ended in a tie, with both candidates garnering 34 votes each. This outcome suggests significant cross-voting within the Congress party.
The BJP candidate's win, aided by the support of six Congress lawmakers and three independents who had previously backed the government, has destabilized Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's position. In response, the Congress high command has dispatched senior leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and D K Shivakumar to engage with the dissatisfied MLAs.
