Amidst the ongoing challenges faced by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu’s government in Himachal Pradesh, Minister Vikramaditya Singh engaged with six rebel Congress lawmakers in Panchkula, Haryana, governed by the BJP, before heading to Delhi. The development occurred despite indications that Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu managed to avert a crisis within his administration.
The meeting raised concerns within the Congress party as it endeavored to maintain its only government in northern India. Singh was scheduled to meet Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Delhi as part of his official agenda.
While details of the meeting remain undisclosed, a rebel lawmaker confirmed the encounter in Panchkula, while Minister Singh remained unavailable for comment.
The meeting took place amidst the Congress’s announcement of a coordination committee aimed at reconciling differences between the party and the government. This announcement was made during a joint press conference attended by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Chief Minister Sukhu, and the state unit chief Pratibha Singh.
Shivakumar, deployed as Congress’s troubleshooter in Himachal Pradesh, claimed to have resolved all differences among the lawmakers, Sukhu, and the state unit chief. He held discussions with 32 lawmakers alongside former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda.
Subsequently, the state assembly speaker disqualified the remaining six rebel Congress lawmakers, whose actions cost the party a Rajya Sabha seat and endangered the Sukhu government’s stability.
Despite Vikramaditya Singh’s absence from Sukhu’s breakfast meeting and his earlier resignation over alleged disrespect towards his late father’s legacy, he and Pratibha Singh seemingly retracted the resignation following discussions with central observers.
The disqualification of the six rebels provided the Congress with some breathing space to salvage the government. However, the rebels have contested the speaker’s decision in the high court, reducing the effective strength of the assembly to 62 members.
Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur reiterated the BJP’s stance that the Congress government had lost its majority, urging Sukhu to resign. Meanwhile, rebel lawmakers and three independents were anticipated to meet Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla.
Sukhu, acknowledging the crisis, attributed the situation to the BJP’s attempts to destabilize his government, which ensued after six Congress lawmakers and three independents supported the BJP nominee in the Rajya Sabha polls.
Tirri Venkat Vinod