Shimla: Amid the ongoing political crisis in Himachal after cross-voting by Congress MLAs in the recently held Rajya Sabha elections, Cabinet Minister Vikramaditya Singh, who offered to resign from his post met the Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and In-charge Organisation KC Venugopal in Delhi on Sunday March 3, sources said.
It is learnt that Singh met Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi and KC Venugopal late on Sunday evening with the meeting lasting for an hour.
During the meeting, Vikramaditya Singh informed both the leaders about the political developments in the state, sources said. The Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister also strongly supported the rebel MLAs, who are demanding the removal of CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu from the post and were suspended from the state assembly for cross-voting for the BJP in the recently held Rajya Sabha elections, added the sources.
According to sources, in this meeting, Vikramaditya Singh also raised the issue of interference in the work of ministers and neglect of MLAs and party workers. State Congress chief Pratibha Singh is already raising questions on the decision to disqualify the rebel MLAs.
Singh had recently said that the work done by the BJP in the state was better than the Congress leaving the party red-faced.
Although CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is continuously claiming that everything is well in the organization and the government, rumours are rife about infighting in the grand old party.
CM Sukhu Busy in Damage Control: CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is busy trying to compensate for the political situation arising out of cross voting in the Rajya Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh. Efforts are being made to keep the 34 MLAs remaining in the party united with Sukhu.
CM Sukhu has given cabinet rank to Rampur MLA Nandlal and appointed him as the chairman of the 7th Finance Commission of the state, a move seen as an appeasement to the Virbhadra faction.
Fatehpur MLA Bhavani Singh Pathania has been given cabinet rank and made the Vice Chairman of the Planning Board. Apart from this, 20 lawyers who have faith in the party have been given Additional and Deputy Advocate General posts to nip a rebellion in the bud.
Rebels to Approach SC: Sources said that the six rebel MLAs disqualified from assembly membership will file a petition in the Supreme Court against the Speaker's decision to disqualify them. On February 28, Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania had disqualified six Congress MLAs, finding them guilty under the Anti-Defection Law.
Sudhir Sharma, MLA from Dharamshala, MLA Rajendra Rana from Sujanpur, Indra Dutt Lakhanpal of Badsar, Ravi Thakur of Lahaul Spiti, Devendra Kumar Bhutto of Kutlaihar and Chaitanya Sharma of Gagret are no longer members of Himachal Assembly.
