Amidst a period of political turmoil, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu clarified on Wednesday that he has not tendered his resignation and assured that the Congress-led government would fulfill its entire five-year tenure.
Dispelling rumors suggesting his resignation, Chief Minister Sukhu stated firmly, “I haven’t offered any resignation. I am a warrior, will keep fighting.” Emphasizing his confidence in the stability of the Congress government, he affirmed their commitment to serving the state for the complete duration.
Addressing the resignation of his Cabinet colleague Vikramaditya Singh, Sukhu expressed familial concern, stating, “He is my brother. He has some grievances and he has talked to me many times. Will sort it out.”
Meanwhile, the Congress Legislative Party is scheduled to convene later in the day. Additionally, the party has deployed observers to engage with all MLAs across the state to compile a comprehensive report on the prevailing crisis.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh underscored the paramount importance of safeguarding the party's government in Himachal Pradesh. “Right now, our priority is to save our Congress government because the Congress party had received a clear mandate in December 2022. The people of Himachal Pradesh had rejected the PM, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Anurag Thakur, and Jai Ram Thakur. The mandate was for the Congress party. So, this mandate should be respected,” he said.
“The Modi government has just one guarantee -- topple all Congress Governments. We will not let this happen,” he added.
In a dramatic turn of events, six Congress MLAs defected and voted in favor of the BJP candidate in the recent poll for the lone Rajya Sabha seat. Notable among them were ministerial aspirants Sudhir Sharma (Dharamsala) and Rajinder Rana (Sujanpur), along with Inder Dutt Lakhanpal (Badsar), Ravi Thakur (Lahaul-Spiti), Chaitnaya Sharma (Gagret), and Devender Bhutto (Kutlehar). Additionally, three Independent MLAs aligned with the BJP in the voting process.
This defection leaves both the Congress and the BJP with an equal strength of 34 MLAs, intensifying the political landscape in Himachal Pradesh.
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