Six Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs, who voted against party nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha elections, along with three Independent lawmakers, have shifted to a hotel in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand amid an ongoing rebellion against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The legislators arrived in Rishikesh from Haryana's Panchkula by a chartered flight late on Friday and checked into Hotel Taj, news agency PTI reported.
Congress MLAs Sudhir Sharma, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Devinder Kumar Bhuttu, Ravindra Thakur, and Chaitanya Sharma have since been disqualified for defying the party whip on the state budget. They have approached the Supreme Court for relief in the matter. Three Independent MLAs Hoshiar Singh, KL Thakur, and Ashish Sharma were also with them when they arrived.
Himachal CM Sukhu Crticises BJP Over Movement Of MLAs
The relocation of the MLAs from Haryana to Uttarakhand has elicited a strong reaction from Sukhu, who likened their movement to that of a shepherd guiding a flock. Speaking at a public gathering in Mandi, Sukhu criticised the BJP for orchestrating the transfer of the six disqualified Congress MLAs, accusing them of betrayal. He questioned the BJP's decision to accommodate the rebel MLAs first in a hotel in Haryana's Panchkula before airlifting them to Dehradun in a chartered plane and housing them in a seven-star hotel in Rishikesh.
"These MLAs breached the trust of their constituents and the party by disregarding their conscience," Sukhu remarked, as quoted by PTI. He asserted that the public would hold accountable those involved in the conspiracy and expressed confidence in his government's ability to complete its full term. Emphasising his humble origins, Sukhu stated that the position of the chief minister should be held by someone dedicated to serving the people, not by those seeking power and luxury at any cost, as reported by PTI.
The Congress currently has 34 MLAs in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly while the BJP has 25. The three Independent MLAs had also sided with the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls. Security around the hotel has been tightened, and no one is being allowed to enter the premises except those who have advance online bookings. PTI's report stated.
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BJP Minister Says Congress Govt In Himachal Pradesh 'Will Not Last Long'
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region BL Verma told reporters in Haridwar that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh will soon fall.
"The Sukhu government in Himachal Pradesh is battling internal conflicts. It will not last long because of this infighting," Verma said, as quoted by PTI.
He claimed Rahul Gandhi's actions have eradicated the Congress in Uttar Pradesh and will wipe it out from all over the country after the Lok Sabha elections.
Replying to a question about the presence of the Himachal Pradesh MLAs in Uttarakhand, Verma said the case of their expulsion is in the Supreme Court, and the BJP honours the courts. He also described the Samajwadi Party as a family-oriented organisation that will not be able to open its account in the general elections.