Congress calls Shivakumar for crisis management in Himachal; leader alleges horse-trading by BJP

BENGALURU: As the political crisis unfolds for the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress observer for Himachal Pradesh, D K Shivakumar, is leaving for the hill state after the party’s direction asking him to step in for crisis management.

Shivakumar also alleged of “horse-trading,” was going on in the hill state and said someday it will “boomerang”. “Congress party has issued a direction that I should be there. I don’t know why BJP is in such a hurry…any government should have a strong opposition. It is not right, this type of horse-trading, someday it might boomerang…I am confident that all our legislators will be loyal to the party”, said Shivakumar.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: On Himachal Pradesh political situation, Karnataka Dy CM and Congress observer for Himachal Pradesh DK Shivakumar says, " Congress party has issued a direction that I should be there. I don't know why BJP is in such a hurry…any govt should have a strong… pic.twitter.com/p5J68w8vuf

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2024

Meanwhile in Shimla, as many as 15 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs of Himachal Pradesh were suspended from the House by Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Wednesday allegedly for creating ruckus in his chamber.

The 15 BJP MLA’s who were suspended from the House include Jai Ram Thakur, Vipin Parmar, Randhir Sharma, Hans Raj, Vinod Kumar, Janak Raj, Balbir Verma, Lokinder Kumar, Trilok Jamwal, Surinder Shourie, Puran Chand, Dalip Thakur, Inder Singb Gandhi, Ranbir Nikka and Deep Raj.

The BJP legislators were suspended by the Speaker after State Parliamentary Party Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan moved a proposal recommending the expulsion of the MLAs from the house. The Himachal Pradesh Assembly was adjourned till 12 pm amid disruptions, with opposition members staging protests in the well of the House, proceedings of the house are yet to resume.

The BJP, however, has dubbed this a move by the Congress to prevent its government from toppling ahead of the Budget session. BJP’s winning Rajya Sabha candidate Harsh Mahajan said, “Congress Government is toppling. So such attempts are being made – to suspend them. These are delay tactics and are followed in every Vidhan Sabha…Congress has dismantled from here. All the attempts they make now will fail. BJP will form the Government here…Nine MLAs (who cross-voted) are in my support…”

Delivering another blow to the party in state, Vikramaditya Singh, a powerful minister and son of the former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, stepped down from his position on Wednesday. “All I would like to say is that under the current circumstances, it is not correct for me to continue as a part of the government. So, I have decided that I am resigning from the Council of Ministers. I am resigning as a minister,” Singh said.

The trouble for the government comes at a time when the Assembly’s annual Budget session is going on and ahead of voting on the state finance bill in the Assembly. (ANI)