‘Congress crisis in HP far from being over, only a pause’

Hours after amicably claiming ‘resolution’ of ongoing crisis in the Congress, after series of meetings with MLAs and ministers, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu faced an unexpected development signalling that turmoil in the party was far from being over as yet.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, who had resigned from the Cabinet and later purportedly agreed to withdraw his resignation, drove to Panchkula later in the evening and met six rebel MLAs, who stood disqualified from the House by the Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania.

The development though later underplayed by former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda, one of the party’s central observers rushed to Shimla for saving the government for imminent ‘collapse’ but created speculations about Singh, who is son of six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, joining the BJP or also having been approached to rebel against the chief minister.

Singh later also left for Delhi giving credence to the speculations about his next move. All eyes are on the Opposition BJP’s next move to pull the rugs from under Sukhu’s feet.

His mother Partibha Singh, who is also PCC president and sitting MP from Mandi, told media persons that Vikramaditya Singh has been called in Delhi by the high command.

He will meet the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other top leaders including Priyanaka Gandhi to ventilate his feelings about having been ignored and not being allowed to function as Cabinet minister.

Vikramaditya Singh,who initially did not respond to the media calls later confirmed that he will be in Delhi in connection with official works and also slated to meet the central leadership. He refused to comment on ongoing developments. Chief Minister Sukhu said he was aware about Vikramaditya Singh meeting the rebel MLA since some of them have been trying to contact him and few ministers.

Later in the day, Sukhu led his team of ministers to meet Speaker Kuldeep Pathania at state Assembly complex even as he was expected to preside over a Cabinet meeting, which was later postponed for Saturday.

Only a day before the Speaker had announced his decision to disqualify six MLAs,who as per him, had defied the party whip during the passing of the state’s budget and appropriation bill.

This has deepened the crisis in the government with MLAs having approached the High Court against the Speaker’s decision.

The question raises what are other legal options before the unseated Congress MLAs, who don’t want to face the election within 15 months of their election to the House

Former Chief Minister and leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur on Friday termed it as a joke about rebel MLAs being invited back after a hasty order passed by the Speaker. In order to mollify MLAs upset with his working, Sukhu started the process to appoint them at key positions. Nand Lal, a senior Congress MLA from Rampur—Virbhadra Singh’s home town, was appointed as chairman of the finance commission. The government also appointed senior IAS officer and secretary (education) Rakesh Kanwar as secretary to the chief minister.