Himachal govt will complete full five-year term, CM Sukhu expresses confidence
Updated: Feb 29th, 2024
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| Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu |
Amid political crisis, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Feb 28 said that he has not resigned and the Congress government would complete its full five-year term.
After reports that Sukhu has offered to quit, the Himachal chief minister said, “I haven’t offered any resignation. I am a warrior, will keep fighting.” He asserted that the Congress party will remain in power in the state for five years.
On his Cabinet colleague Vikramaditya Singh’s resignation, Sukhu said, “He is my brother. He has some grievances and he has talked to me many times. Will sort it out.”
In a favourable turn of events for the CM, Singh reversed his decision late at night on the same day to force the CM for his exit from the state’s ministry, indicating a change of current for the party in the hill state.
Himachal assembly passes budget
Amidst the political crisis, the Himachal Pradesh Assembly also passed the budget for 2024-25 with a voice vote. Subsequently, the House was adjourned sine die.
As the Budget was passed, BJP members staged a walkout in protest.
The suspension of the 15 BJP MLAs, including leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur, came minutes after Congress minister Vikramaditya Singh announced his resignation from the Cabinet, saying there were attempts to suppress the voice of MLAs, and that has led to this situation for the government.
Congress monitors Himachal situation
Meanwhile, the Congress Legislative Party was to meet in Shimla in the evening on Feb 28. The party has also asked the observers to speak to all MLAs in the state and prepare a comprehensive report on the crisis.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told the media in Delhi that the party’s priority was to save its government in Himachal Pradesh.
“Right now, our priority is to save our Congress government because the Congress party had received a clear mandate in December 2022. The people of Himachal Pradesh had rejected the PM, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Anurag Thakur, and Jai Ram Thakur. The mandate was for the Congress party. So, this mandate should be respected,” he said.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot also added that the party has appointed observers in Himachal Pradesh, where the party candidate in the Rajya Sabha election lost due to cross-voting, and expressed confidence that the matter will be resolved soon.
In Sikar to attend a programme, the party General Secretary and CWC member, speaking to the media on the political crisis in the hill state, said: “Our party has appointed observers in Himachal, they will talk to everyone, and hopefully the matter will be resolved very soon.”
On the Congress defeat in Rajasthan, he said that its vote percentage was not much less than that of the BJP.
Himachal political turmoil
In a stunning upset a day earlier, six Congress MLAs cross voted in the poll for the lone Rajya Sabha seat. Those who voted in favour of the BJP’s candidate were Sudhir Sharma (Dharamsala) and Rajinder Rana (Sujanpur), both ministerial aspirants; Inder Dutt Lakhanpal (Badsar); Ravi Thakur (Lahaul-Spiti); Chaitnaya Sharma (Gagret); and Devender Bhutto (Kutlehar). The three Independent MLAs too voted in favour of the BJP.
With this, the Congress has a strength of 34 MLAs, the same number as the BJP.
(Source: IANS)
- Edited for style
