Crisis in Himachal government averted, not over: LoP Jairam Thakur
Jun 06, 2024
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 6 : The leader of the opposition and former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur said that the crisis of government in Himachal Pradesh is averted but not over yet as the BJP has won all four Lok Sabha seats in the state for the third consecutive time and defeated the Congress party in 61 out of 68 assembly constituencies.
Addressing the media in Shimla, Thakur said that there are chances of a change of government in the state. He said the case of the appointment of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries is still pending in the High Court and after the court's order the government would once again in threat.
"This government has to go, the High Court has also reserved the decision of the CPS, so as soon as the decision comes, the government will be in trouble. The crisis of government is averted but not over yet," the LoP said.
Jairam Thakur targeted the Himachal government and said that CM Sukhu should resign on moral grounds as his 10 ministers lost the elections.
"Chief Minister Sukhu should resign on moral grounds. Ten ministers lost elections and could not give votes in favour of Congress MP candidates. The government tried to influence the elections. The Chief Minister was busy saving the government and his chair. The Chief Minister has also lost in his own Naidun assembly constituency and BJP has got a lead of 2143 from Naidun. Apart from the Deputy CM, even 10 ministers could not give a lead to Congress in their assembly, " Thakur said.
"The Congress government has lost the mandate in Himachal Pradesh. After losing the majority of MLAs in Rajya Sabha, Congress has now lost the trust of the people in the Lok Sabha elections. Congress is celebrating the survival of the government after the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections while there is no focus on development. CM is only engaged in saving the chair. Resignations of independent MLAs were not accepted at the right time. The Congress party was afraid of the falling of the government, so the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly accepted the resignations a day before the results," he added.
"If the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly had accepted the resignations earlier, an amount of 30 crores rupees could have been saved from the state exchange for the by-election. After the results of the Lok Sabha elections, it would put an additional burden on the state," the LoP said further.
Meanwhile, in a boost for the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, the party won four of the six assembly bypolls.
The results are a boost for Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu government, which was facing a threat following cross-voting by six party MLAs in the Rajya Sabha bypolls. The MLAs, who were disqualified from the assembly, later joined the BJP. The disqualification led to the bypoll on the six seats.
Himachal Pradesh assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Monday accepted the resignation of three Independent MLAs, who had also voted in favour of the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections along with rebel Congress MLAs.
Congress candidate Abishek Manu Singhvi lost the Rajya Sabha polls, causing an embarrassment to the Congress.
The Congress has 34 MLAs in the assembly and with four of its candidates winning the bypolls, the party's strength now stands at 38 in the 68-member House. With three vacancies, the effective strength of the assembly is 65 and the majority mark is 33.
Voting for the six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh was held in the seventh and final phase on June 1.