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Himachal CM Sukhu on Wednesday refuted reports of him resigning from the post, saying that he has not tendered his resignation and will prove majority in the House.
Sukhu, while speaking to the media in Shimla on Wednesday, said that no one from his party has asked for his resignation.
“Neither anyone asked for my resignation nor have I presented my resignation to anyone. We will prove the majority. We will win, the people of Himachal will win,” Sukhu said.
Sukhu said that he will not get scared and expressed his determination to ensure that the Congress will remain in power. “I am not someone who will get scared and I can say this with guarantee that the Congress is going to win when the Budget will be presented. The budget will be passed today. The BJP is spreading rumours of my resignation. The Congress is united,” he added.
The Himachal CM also claimed that some of the six MLAs who cross-voted in Tuesday’s Rajya Sabha election are in touch with him.
“The BJP is spreading rumours of my resignation. They want to create a break in the legislative party. They want Congress MLAs to leave the party and join them. The Congress is united. Some of the MLAs who voted for the BJP are in our contact,” Sukhu said.
The Congress government in the state faces a crisis after six MLAs crossed sides and are learnt to be in touch with the BJP.
The Congress has 40 MLAs while the BJP has 25 in the 68-member state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents.
Meanwhile, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania suspended 15 BJP MLAs for misbehaviour and adjourned the House.
The state budget is pending approval in the assembly and the BJP, with the help of Congress rebels, is ensuring that the budget is not passed and is seeking a division of votes.
Congress rushes Hooda, Shivakumar to Shimla to defuse crisis
The Congress has deputed former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar to resolve the political crisis in Himachal Pradesh. Hooda on Wednesday skipped the Haryana assembly session, citing urgent work. A communication in this regard was sent to the Speaker by the Congress Legislature Party leader. Sources said that Hooda and Shivakumar flew together to Shimla in the afternoon.
Shivakumar, who is the party observer for Himachal Pradesh, posted on X: “As per the directions of the Congress high command, I am reaching Himachal Pradesh. Also there is absolutely no need to indulge in any hearsay, as I am confident that Congress party legislators will be loyal to the party and stay put with the mandate that has been accorded to them.”
He hit out at the BJP, accusing it of attempting to crush democracy. “However, what should be questioned and worrisome is the extremes to which BJP is going in terms of acquiring power, deliberately attempting to crush democracy and public mandate in the process,” Shivakumar added.
In fresh trouble for the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Vikramaditya Singh, a state minister and the son of the former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, on Wednesday stepped down from his post.
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