MLAs Departing as Congress Falls Short on Promises in Himachal: Thakur
State BJP leaders have asserted that the Congress administration no longer possesses the “ethical authority” to retain power and have called for a floor test during the ongoing Budget session.
Shortly after Himachal Pradesh’s Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh announced his resignation from the state cabinet on Wednesday, Union Minister Anurag Thakur stated that the Congress has not upheld its commitments to the people of the state, resulting in significant discontent among its own MLAs.
“The Congress established a government in Himachal Pradesh by making grandiose but untrue pledges. However, upon assuming power, these assurances were left unfulfilled. When Congress MLAs visit their constituencies, constituents inquire about these commitments, yet they remain without satisfactory responses,” remarked Thakur.
His remarks followed an incident on Tuesday, where six Congress party lawmakers defected and voted in favor of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate during the Rajya Sabha polls.
As per party officials, the MLAs expressed dissatisfaction with the operational approach of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and advocated for his replacement.
Thakur refrained from confirming reports about whether the Centre is contemplating a no-confidence motion against the Sukhu-led government in the Himachal legislature following the rebellion of Congress MLAs against the party.
On Tuesday, Congress’s Rajya Sabha candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi was defeated by the BJP’s Harsh Mahajan. Singhvi garnered 34 votes, with six Congress lawmakers and three independents previously aligned with the government backing BJP nominee Mahajan, who also secured 34 votes. The deadlock was subsequently resolved through a draw-of-lots, resulting in Mahajan’s favor. Congress lawmakers asserted that additional party members were discontent with CM Sukhu and sought his replacement.
The BJP asserted that the confidence of the House in the Congress government had waned and called for Sukhu’s resignation. State BJP leaders contended that the Congress administration had forfeited its “moral authority” to remain in office and urged for a floor test during the ongoing Budget session.
Thakur acknowledged that the allocation of a Rajya Sabha ticket to Singhvi may have incited displeasure among Congress leaders. However, he asserted that internal discord and a dearth of development initiatives were the main factors driving the rebellion.
“What prompted their MLAs to defect within a mere 14 months? One significant factor was the allocation of a ticket to a non-Himachali individual… There was widespread discontent among the populace regarding this, and I presume some within the Congress leadership were also affected. However, overall, they are deeply dissatisfied with their own government—unable to fulfill promises or foster any developmental progress,” Thakur commented.
Thakur rejected accusations that the BJP government orchestrated Singhvi’s defeat through the “abduction” of Congress MLAs, as alleged by CM Sukhu.
Shortly after BJP’s Mahajan secured victory, CM Sukhu claimed that the central police force and the Haryana Police removed five to six MLAs from his party.
Thakur remarked that the Congress MLAs’ call for Sukhu’s replacement as CM was an internal party issue, but it indicated a fragmentation and disintegration within the Congress party.
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