Vikramaditya Singh’s Meeting with Rebel MLAs Rattles Himachal Congress
Despite Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu’s Efforts, Government Crisis Appears to Linger Following Vikramaditya Singh’s Meeting with Rebel MLAs
Prior to a visit to Delhi, Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh convened with six rebel Congress lawmakers in Panchkula, Haryana, which is governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This occurred amidst Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu’s efforts on Thursday to avert a looming crisis within his government.
The gathering stirred apprehension within the Congress party, which was tirelessly striving to safeguard its sole government in North India. Singh had plans to journey to Delhi as per his official itinerary to meet Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Vikramaditya met with us in Panchkula,” stated a rebel lawmaker during a phone conversation, while the minister remained unreachable for comments.
The details of the meeting remained uncertain at the moment, coinciding with the Congress’s announcement of a coordination committee aimed at resolving discrepancies between the party and the government. This announcement was made during a joint press conference attended by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Sukhu, and his adversary, State Unit Chief Pratibha Singh, on Thursday.
Shivakumar, the Congress’s primary troubleshooter dispatched to Himachal Pradesh as an observer to mitigate the crisis, announced on Thursday that he had engaged in discussions with all lawmakers, Sukhu, and the state unit chief, successfully resolving all discrepancies. Accompanied by former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda, he held meetings with a total of 32 lawmakers.
The state assembly speaker rendered ineligible the remaining six rebel Congress lawmakers, whose cross-voting led to the party losing a Rajya Sabha seat and raised concerns about the future of the Sukhu government.
With the BJP asserting that the Sukhu government had been diminished to a minority and demanding his resignation, the Congress failed to surpass the simple majority threshold of 35 in the 68-member House.
Vikramaditya Singh was notably absent from Sukhu’s breakfast gathering on Thursday. A day prior, he tendered his resignation, citing Sukhu’s alleged disrespect for the legacy of his late father, the six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. However, Vikramaditya Singh seemed to retract his resignation later on Thursday, as he and Pratibha Singh held discussions with the central observers.
The disqualification of six rebel lawmakers has provided the Congress with a buffer in the state assembly, offering some room to maneuver in efforts to preserve the government. Acting under the anti-defection law, the speaker penalized the six individuals for disregarding the Congress whip during the vote on the finance bill.
The rebels have contested the ruling in the high court. With the assembly’s effective strength reduced to 62 and the majority mark set at 32, which is below the Congress’s effective strength of 34, there remains a possibility for the courts to revoke the disqualification.
Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur reiterated the assertion that the Congress had forfeited its majority and urged Sukhu to step down, while the rebel lawmakers and three independents were anticipated to convene with Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla.
Sukhu has faced criticism following the rebellion of six lawmakers, which seemingly pushed the party into a minority within the 68-member House. He acknowledged accountability for the setback and criticized the BJP for its attempts to undermine his government.
The crisis unfolded on Tuesday when the Congress’s Abhishek Singhvi faced defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls in the state. Singhvi and BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan both garnered 34 votes each. The deadlock was subsequently resolved through a draw of lots, which favored Mahajan. Six Congress lawmakers and three independents, who had previously supported the government, sided with him.