The resignation of Vikramaditya Singh from the council of ministers in Himachal Pradesh has exacerbated the turmoil within Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in the hill state.
This development follows a significant event where at least six Congress MLAs engaged in cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha elections, resulting in the unexpected defeat of Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi to Bharatiya Janata Party’s Harsh Mahajan.
These consecutive incidents have once again highlighted the rift between the factions within the Himachal Pradesh Congress, one led by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and the other by Pratibha Singh, a Lok Sabha member and Vikramaditya’s mother.
Amidst this turmoil, Vikramaditya resigned from his position as the public works minister, citing growing dissatisfaction with Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu’s leadership. He accused the Chief Minister of neglecting the MLAs and disrespecting his late father, the esteemed Virbhadra Singh, who was a prominent figure in the Congress party in the hill state.
The state government’s failure to secure land on Mall Road for erecting a statue of Virbhadra Singh further fueled Vikramaditya’s discontent. Despite Congress securing a victory in the 2022 Himachal Pradesh elections with 40 seats in the 68-member house, Sukhu was chosen over Vikramaditya’s mother, Pratibha Singh, for the Chief Minister’s post.
Harsh Mahajan, who supported Vikramaditya’s decision to resign, echoed his sentiments, emphasizing the moral grounds behind the resignation.
With six rebel MLAs escorted to Haryana on February 27, the Congress government, previously holding a comfortable majority, now faces a crisis. The opposition BJP has asserted that the ruling party has lost the mandate to govern. The Congress party has written to the Speaker seeking the disqualification of the rebel MLAs and has sought assistance from senior leaders like Bhupinder Hooda and DK Shivakumar to manage the escalating situation.
The ongoing upheaval within the Congress raises the possibility of a no-confidence motion against the Sukhu government, with the BJP, holding 25 MLAs, awaiting the outcome.
