Himachal Political Crisis: Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh said under the current circumstances in the state, it is not correct for him to continue as a part of the government.
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh minister & Congress MLA Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday stepped down from his position, a day after the Rajya Sabha election result in the state, and said under the current circumstances in the state, it is not correct for him to continue as a part of the government.
Addressing a press conference, he said, “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. In the time to come, I will have video consultations with my people and then decide about the future course of action…”
He also said 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. 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…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,” he said.
He further said that he will decide the future course of action after a consultation with his supporters.
“In the time to come, I will have video consultations with my people and then decide about the future course of action…” he added.
Vikramaditya Singh, born in 1989, is an MLA from Shimla Rural constituency. He is the son of ex-CM late Virbhadra Singh. His mother, Pratibha Singh is the MP from Mandi. She is also the state Congress chief.
Vikramaditya Singh is a two-time MLA. He won his first election in 2017. He repeated the performance in 2023.
On Tuesday, a high drama unfolded in Himachal Pradesh after BJP pulled off an upset by defeating Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha elections because of cross-voting by six of the party’s MLAs.
The BJP has said that the government has “lost the mandate and trust”.
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.
The BJP is pressing for division voting on the passing of the Budget after it is introduced in the assembly. If Congress is unable to see the Budget through the government in the state will fall.
The Congress has 40 MLAs while the BJP has 25 in the 68-member state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents.
Harsh Mahajan, the BJP leader who won the lone Rajya Sabha seat of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday claimed that his party is going to form government in the state by ousting the ruling Congress on the ground of ‘lacking majority’ in the house.
15 BJP MLAs including LoP Jairam Thakur, Vipin Singh Parmar, Randheer Sharma, Lokender Kumar, Vinod Kumar, Hans Raj, Janak Raj, Balbir Verma, Trilok Jamwal, Surender Shori, Deep Raj, Puran Thakur, Inder Singh Gandhi, Dileep Thakur and Inder Singh Gandhi, have been expelled by the Assembly Speaker for allegedly shouting slogans and misconduct in the Chamber of Speaker today.
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