Shimla: Amid the ongoing political drama in Himachal Pradesh, Rajinder Rana, disqualified Congress MLA accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of disrespecting party MLAs, saying he will be responsible for his government's fall
"In Himachal Pradesh, the CM ignores the MLAs while his friends are favoured. The elected MLAs are disrespected here. A complaint was submitted to the high command for changing the CM but no action was taken. Following which, the current situation has risen. The grand old party failed to field a candidate from the state resulting which, nine MLAs cross-voted and elected a Himachali candidate to represent the Rajya Sabha," Rana said.
Rana, who is presently staying with other rebel MLAs in Lalit Hotel in Chandigarh, further said that one and a quarter years have passed since the government came to power and the high command was repeatedly informed that things are not going well in Himachal Pradesh. "The Chief Minister insults and humiliates the MLAs. Here, it is not the Congress but Sukhu ji's friends who run the government. The nine MLAs cross-voted to protect self-respect and the rights of Himachalis," Rana said.
On state government's refusal to give a no-objection certificate to install a statue of Virbhadra Singh at Shimla's Ridge Road, Rana said such acts depict Sukhu's small heart. "The CM should have a big heart but Sukhu has a bird's heart as he could not even provide two yards of land for the statue. Vikramaditya Singh is also upset with the CM and I feel that a lot is going to happen in the coming days. Many Congress MLAs of the state want to come with us and soon this government will topple," Rana said.
Dismissing Sukhu's claims of the disqualified MLAs repenting their act, Rana called the CM "biggest liar" and said that the MLAs who cross-voted took the decision after careful consideration and many more would join them in the coming days.
"We had said that if Himachal Pradesh is to be saved then Sukhu has to be removed from the CM's post. But the high command never paid heed to us. That is why today, likewise the country, Congress fell like a house of cards in Himachal Pradesh," Rana said.
Rana alleged that the Sukhu government has not fulfilled the election guarantees. Youths are waiting for jobs and declaration of results, he added. "Promises and guarantees are not being fulfilled. Work is being done for Sukhu's friends while elected MLAs are being humiliated. The CM has put Himachal Pradesh's development in the back gear," he said.
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