AMN / SHIMLA
After meeting Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and the grand-old-party’s troubleshooter DK Shivakumar on Thursday said that all the issues have been sorted out and their government will complete its five-year term.
“All is well. This government will stay for 5 years. All issues have been sorted out. We are hearing all the MLAs. There is no problem in the government,” said DK Shivakumar after meeting with HP Congress leaders Vikramaditya Singh and Pratibha Singh in Shimla said.
Shivakumar, along with former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, were appointed observers to save the Himachal Pradesh government after several MLAs rebelled against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Six Congress MLAs, along with three independents who supported the Sukhu government, cross voted in favour of BJP candidate during the recently held Rajya Sabha elections, resulting in humiliating defeat of ruling party candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
To make matters worse, Vikramaditya Singh, state PWD minister and son of former Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh, tendered his resignation from the Sukhu Cabinet and alleged “humiliation and neglect”.
However, after speaking with the observers, he took a U-turn and said that he will not press the chief minister to accept his resignation.
Earlier today, the Congress party had claimed that it has foiled an alleged attempt to topple it’s government in Himachal Pradesh by the BJP.
“Aggressive Congress leaders destroyed the so-called fake Chanakya – the government (Himachal Pradesh) is safe and will remain so. BJP and Amit Shah, remember that times have changed, we will answer three with thirteen!,” Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said.
She also clarified that the six MLAs who cross voted in favour of BJP during the Rajya Sabha election were suspended for not being present during the Budget session even after a Whip was issued.
“The government would have collapsed had the money bill not passed. This amounts to anti-party activity, and that is why the MLAs were suspended,” she added.
Earlier, the BJP had slammed the Congress party after suspension of six rebel MLAs and asked whether this was the “murder of democracy” or not. The saffron party also reiterated its claim that the government has lost its majority and demanded CM Sukhu’s resignation.