Himachal Minister Vikramaditya Singh Quits As Congress Firefights Rajya Sabha Debacle

Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh said he was quitting as a minister from the Himachal Cabinet after the party suffered loss in the Rajya Sabha polls.

Himachal Pradesh Minister and Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday announced that he was stepping down from his position after the party suffered loss in the Rajya Sabha polls. Singh, son of former Himachal Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh, held the portfolios of Public Works Department, Youth Services & Sports, and Urban Development.  

On Wednesday the Congress leader held a press conference in Shimla where he came down heavily on his own party's government in the state. He said that that the current government was "stifling" the voices of MLAs and "overlooking" them, and it is the result of this that the legislators cross voted on Tuesday Rajya Sabha polls. 

"...There is no doubt that former CM Virbhadra Singh's name was used in the (Assembly) election...This is a matter of fact, a matter of record. This government was formed with everyone's contribution. It has completed one year of governance," Singh said during the press conference. 

"I have never said anything about the functioning of the government, but it is my responsibility to say it clearly today...I have always said that position and cabinet berth is not important for me. For me, the most important thing is the relationship with the people of Himachal Pradesh," he added. 

"But the kind of system prevailing in the government in last one year, how MLAs were overlooked and attempts were made to stifle their voices - this is a result of that," Singh said. 

Terming the chain of events in the last two to three days as "matter of concern", Singh further said, "This is concerning because the 70 lakh people of the state elected a government and after that gave the mandate to the Congress party. But such chain of events (cross-voting) occurring after that is a matter of concern."

The ruling Congress party, with 34 MLAs in the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, suffered a shocking loss in the state in the Rajya Sabha polls held Tuesday after stalwart party leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi was defeated by BJP's Harsh Mahajan after six Congress MLAs cross voted for the latter.