In the backdrop of a political storm in the state in which six Congress MLAs defied party whip and were terminated from the membership of the assembly, Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said that some Congress MLAs sold their souls and went against the party ethics to cross-vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. “Those who betrayed the party and above all played with the sentiments of the people of the state won't be spared even by the Almighty,'' he said while addressing a public meeting in Dharampur in Kasauli assembly segment.
He stated that six rebel MLAs, escorted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Haryana Police, reached Shimla by helicopter but abstained themselves from the house when the budget was supposed to be passed on 28h February with a motive to overthrow the government.
"It seemed that the BJP could not digest the numerous welfare schemes, launched by the State Government to benefit the people of the State," he alleged. In the first budget, the state government took strenuous measures to curb corruption and similarly many provisions were made in its second budget for the welfare of the people, he added.
“I am here for the people of the State, for the development of my State, I am here for you all and not afraid of the conspiracies being hatched against me," he said, adding that I will not allow the wealth of the state to be looted at any cost. My people are my strength and I am bound and committed to serve them until my last breath, he remarked.
In his emotional address, the Chief Minister said that the BJP was trying to destabilize the elected government, which was quite unfortunate. He said that leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur was hungry for power whereas for me my people are my priority. The present state government will definitely complete its five years tenure.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil said that democracy should prevail at any cost despite efforts by few to destabilize the government undemocratically. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Chaudhary Ram Kumar said the government will complete its full term despite the BJPs tactics to destabilize it. There has been no allegation of corruption against the state government in the last 14 months, he said.
Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh met the state’s six disqualified Congress MLAs in Haryana’s Panchkula on his way to Delhi on Friday when he was also scheduled to hold talks with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
Talking to the media persons here, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said Vikramaditya Singh informed him on Thursday that some of the Congress rebels had approached him and wished to come back. “I told Vikramaditya Singh to talk to these rebel MLAs and the Congress central leadership,” the chief minister said, adding that the family members of these rebel MLAs were talking to them and they want to be in the Congress.
“Vikramaditya Singh will meet with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi today and we will see what development takes place but there is no threat to the government,” he said.
After the cross-voting, Vikramaditya Singh, state Congress chief Pratibha Singh’s son, had announced his resignation from the Cabinet but softened his stand after a meeting with the observers.
Sukhu said the rebels are staying at a hotel in Panchkula. “We will see what to do when they enter Himachal,” he added. On whether the Congress would take the rebels back, Sukhu said, “I have already cleared my stand on the issue…” The chief minister said at a press conference a day before that the party was ready to take the rebels back.
According to his official programme, Singh, who is the Congress-run state’s public works minister, is on a two-day trip to Delhi where he will meet Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Saturday.
Following the disqualification of the six rebel legislators, the effective strength of the House has reduced from 68 to 62 while the number of Congress MLAs has shrunk from 40 to 34. The BJP has 25 MLAs and the remaining three are Independents. The Independent MLAs were among the nine MLAs who cross-voted in favour of the BJP Rajya Sabha candidate Harsh Mahajan.
Crisis could have been avoided had grievances of MLAs addressed on time: PCC President
A day after Congress’ central observers asserted that there was no threat to the government in Himachal Pradesh, state party chief Pratibha Singh on Friday said the political crisis could have been averted had the grievances of MLAs addressed time.
Pratibha Singh said there was acrimony towards Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as 14 months after the Congress came to power in the state, leaders who worked hard to ensure the party’s victory were not “accommodated” by him. “Fourteen months is a long period and I have been consistently urging the chief minister to accommodate leaders who worked hard for the victory of the party but nothing was done,” she said.
Pratibha Singh said Rajinder Rana — one of the six rebel MLAs — was a “tall leader” who had defeated former chief minister P K Dhumal and was expecting a Cabinet berth but was ignored. However, all the issues have now been sorted and the observers have given their report to the High Command. The matter will be discussed when the High Command calls us, she said.
