Congress confident of Himachal govt completing its five-year term
Sources said a change in leadership seems unlikely for now as Congress leadership has faith in Sukhu and the work he has done
The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh will last its full five-year term, party sources said on Monday, ruling out the resignation of chief minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.
Congress sources added that state minister Vikramaditya Singh, who had earlier quit the government, had spoken with the AICC leadership.
The sources said the Congress leadership has faith in Sukhu and the work he has done till now. A change in leadership seems unlikely for now.
"The government is in majority and will serve the people of Himachal Pradesh for the full five years, and any attempt to crush the mandate with the help of money power will not succeed," a party source said.
Action has been taken against the rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law which prohibits the "Aayaram-Gayaram" tactics, the sources said.
Claims majority
After the disqualification of six MLAs under the anti-defection law, the number of MLAs in the House now totals 62. The government has more support than the majority figure of 32, the sources said.
The rebel MLAs themselves are "apologising and sending feelers" the source asserted.
Minister Vikramaditya Singh, the son of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh and Congress state unit president Pratibha Singh, has spoken with senior AICC leaders and conveyed his issues.
The Congress sources have been highlighting the programmes undertaken under the Sukhu government such as the implementation of the old pension scheme for the welfare of employees, job creation and increased revenue of the state.
Jolt in RS polls
In a setback for the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP on February 27 won the state's lone Rajya Sabha seat despite being in the minority with just 25 MLAs against 40 of the Congress after nine MLAs, including six from the Congress, voted for BJP’s Harsh Mahajan.
Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Thursday disqualified six Congress MLAs -- Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto -- for abstaining from voting on the cut motion and the finance bill.
After cross-voting by the rebels, Vikramaditya Singh had announced his resignation from the cabinet but withdrew is resignation after meeting the Congress observers.
(With agency inputs)
