In poll time, Cong rebels and CM Sukhu locked in legal battles, criminal FIRs

Shimla: From political battle fields to court of law – Himachal Pradesh politics is taking a new turn ahead of the upcoming Parliamentary elections in the state.

After six Congress rebels faced disqualifications, lost their battle in the Supreme Court and eventually chose to join the BJP to contest bypoll, the political landscape is getting overshadowed by bitter rivalries. On Tuesday, former Congress minister Sudhir Sharma—one of the key Congress rebels, filed a criminal defamation complaint against Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh for his public remarks about former congress MLAs being “saleable” (Bikau) commodities.

“Why I have to file this complaint is simple. I have no faith in the police and have come to the court to file a private criminal complaint” he told media persons at Dharamshala.

Earlier, Sharma –now BJP candidate for Dharamshala his assembly constituency in Kangra district, set for bypoll on June 1—simultaneously with Lok Sabha voting, has also sent a defamation notice of Rs 5 cr to Sukhu alleging that Rs 15 cr cash exchanged hands in the state purportedly for the rebels.

In the complaint, he had submitted to Superintendent of Police of Kangra , the four-time MLA said, “Recently, a video and media reports have surfaced in my constituency regarding a misleading speech by Sukhu at Kutlehar in Una district on April 4 making baseless allegations that legislators were sold at Rs 15 cr each” he alleged.

The Chief Minister had claimed that investigations into the conspiracy about cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha poll on February 27 was being investigated as the rebels were taken out of the state and ferried in helicopters. They also stayed in luxury hotels in Panchkula, Rishikesh and Delhi.

“ We have evidence about horse trading. Team leaders of the rebels were paid over and above Rs 15 cr” he said publically. Sukhu openly asked the people not to elect any of these former MLAs who had betrayed them for monetary considerations revolting against the ruling Congress.

While Sudhir Sharma has already taken a lead to institute a case, other rebels have also sent legal notices and threatened to file cases in the court soon.

“ If the Chief Minister has evidence, he should reveal it to the public” dared Rajendra Rana, of the rebels. Rana was MLA from Sujanpur and one of the prominent dissidents against the Chief Minister. Now, he is the BJP. Former MLA from Kutlehar Devinder Bhutto has also announced his decision to file a defamation case.

Earlier, state’s Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sanjay Awasthi—who is also now PCC working president, had lodged an FIR in the Boileauganj police station of Shimla, alongwith Manali MLA Bhuvheshwar Gaur, against independent MLA Ashish Sharma, who has also joined the BJP and since resigned from the state assembly.