Vikramaditya Singh agrees not to press for resignation as Congress government battles crisis in Himachal Pradesh

New Delhi [India], February 29 : The beleaguered Congress government in Himachal Pradesh got a bit of reprieve on Wednesday after former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya Singh, who had tendered his resignation as minister, agreed not to press its acceptance following intervention of party observers sent to the hill state to deal with the crisis and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu sought to defuse the tension saying "we believe in forgiveness, not revenge."
The crisis, which hit the Congress government on Tuesday during Rajya Sabha polls as six party MLAs cross-voted in favour of BJP, escalated on Wednesday with PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh tendering his resignation. The Congress government also faced trouble in the state assembly as 15 BJP MLAs including Jairam Thakur were suspended ....
Vikramaditya Singh told ANI, "There is a difference between taking back the resignation and not pressing for its acceptance until a final outcome emerges from the ongoing dialogue and the efforts of the central observers. We have had a round of discussions with the central observers and have briefed them on the present situation in the state. Till the final outcome (of the placatory efforts of the central observers), I won't press my resignation."
On the prevailing political crisis in the state, Singh said the six MLAs, who cross-voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha election, not him, are responsible for the situation.
"The ongoing situation should be blamed on our MLAs, who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election, not me. I haven't taken my resignation back. All that I am saying is that I won't press my resignation until the final outcome of the ongoing visit of central observers is known. I will take my final call in due course," he said.
After meeting with party observers, Congress MP Rajeev Shukla said, "Our party observers are in Shimla, speaking to the dissident MLAs and listening to their misgivings. They met the PCC chief and, thereafter, held discussions with Vikramaditya Singh as well. CM Sukhvinder Sukhu has said he is not going to accept his (Vikramaditya's) resignation, and the minister, I am told, has agreed not to press for his resignation as of now."
Meanwhile, CM Sukhu said on Wednesday said all fellow party leaders who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, were like his younger siblings, adding, significantly, that his party believes in forgiveness and not revenge.
Assuring that the Congress government will fulfil the mandate of the people and complete its tenure of five years, CM Sukhu told reporters, "Hum toh sab ko maaf karne wale log hai, hum badle ki bhavna se kaam karne wale log nahi hain (We believe in forgiveness, not revenge.) All fellow members of my party are like my younger brothers and sisters. Our government will complete its full 5-year term."
"They (Congress MLAs who cross-voted for the BJP candidate during polling for the Rajya Sabha seat) should have shown more respect for the party. They may be upset with me but a person like Abhishek Singhvi should have been elected to the Rajya Sabha from Himachal Pradesh. However, they betrayed the whip and did not vote for him. This had never happened before in the history of Himachal politics," CM Sukhu added.
As the Congress lurched into a fresh political crisis in Himachal Pradesh, fighting to stay afloat in the only heartland state it rules, the grand old party appointed observers who reached Shimla on Wednesday.
After the meeting with party observers, CM Sukhu said, "Discussion was held regarding elections. Our government is safe."
Meanwhile, following the cross-voting episode during polling for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in the state, 15 BJP MLAs were suspended from the Assembly for allegedly creating a ruckus in his chamber.
The suspended MLAs were LoP 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.
Reacting to the suspension of 15 BJP MLAs, the Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, alleged on Wednesday that the move was part of a ploy to pass the budget and save the Congress government.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Thakur, who was among the 15 BJP MLAs to be suspended from the House, said, "The BJP had 25 MLAs in the House before some of the Congress MLAs cross-voted during polling for the Rajya Sabha seat. Our strength rose to 34 after the Rajya Sabha vote, which set off alarm bells in the government. They had to pass the budget by any means necessary or else this government would fall. They knew they had to devise a ploy to reduce our strength in the House and hence, got some of our members, including myself, suspended in a desperate bid to save our government."
"As many as 15 of our MLAs, including myself, were suspended. The budget was passed thereafter," the LoP added.
However, amid fears of a churn at the helm of Himachal a day after 6 Congress MLAs cross-voted for the BJP during polling for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Himachal, CM earlier in the day claimed that the conspiracy to bring down the Congress government in the state had failed.
"They conspired to topple our government in Himachal with the help of the CRPF and Haryana Police, and by sending choppers (to airlift Congress MLAs elsewhere). However, the plot to bring down our government has been defeated. They tried luring some our legislators through monetary inducements and bring them to their side. However, we have brought a disqualification motion against them (Congress MLAs who voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls) and hearing on the same is underway," Sukhu told reporters on Wednesday.
He claimed that one of the dissident MLAs, who cross-voted during the casting of votes for the Rajya Sabha polls on Tuesday, prompting BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan to script a stunning win in a draw of lots, has apologised.
"One of the MLAs (who cross-voted for the BJP candidate) has asked for forgiveness for betraying the party and the whip. I don't want to take his name. He said he erred in his decision-making. The hearing on the disqualification case is underway," CM Sukhu said.
The back-to-back developments brought to the fore the rift within the ruling party while the BJP claimed the Congress had lost the moral standing to be in power after losing majority in the Assembly.
The BJP said the Rajya Sabha results show that the Sukhu-led Congress government has lost its majority, whereas the CM has claimed to remain in power with a majority.
LoP Jairam Thakur earlier said that the state CM should resign from his post on moral grounds.
"Congress does not have a majority, and they cannot pass the budget, so they suspended 15 BJP MLAs without any reason. They will now try to pass the budget, but it will be against the rules. If he (CM Sukhu) has even a little bit of morality left, then he should resign," he said.
He further said that the action of the Assembly Speaker, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, to suspend 15 BJP MLAs is 'condemnable'.
"We went to meet the Governor in the morning today and I said that since Congress does not have the majority to pass the budget in the Assembly, the Speaker will suspend BJP MLAs. Today, as soon as we entered the Assembly, 15 BJP MLAs were suspended and were taken out of the Assembly by the marshals. This is highly condemnable..." he said.
While Jairam Thakur claimed that Sukhu has resigned from the post, the Himachal CM said that he will fight like a warrior and will not take any steps behind.
"This government has lost all the moral right to stay in power. As far as I have been informed, CM Sukhu has also presented his resignation inside the House. Maybe the high command has asked him, but I am not sure," Thakur said.
Sukhu on Wednesday, however, refuted the reports of him resigning from the post, saying that he has not tendered his resignation and will prove the majority in the House.
"Neither anyone asked for my resignation nor have I presented my resignation to anyone. We will prove the majority. We will win, the people of Himachal will win... I am not someone who will get scared and I can say this with guarantee that Congress is going to win when the budget is presented. The budget will be passed today. BJP is spreading rumours of my resignation. Congress is united. I am a warrior and will fight like that," Sukhu said.
In the voting on Tuesday, the BJP, which has just 25 MLAs, managed to secure 9 additional votes. The vote thus ended in a 34-34 tie, with three Independents and six Congress MLAs cross-voting for the BJP. Mahajan ended up winning after the result was decided with a draw of lots.