M A I N   N E W S

2 HP ministers quit BJP
Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 20
Mr Mansa Ram and Mr Prakash Chaudhary, — two ministers in the Dhumal government, today resigned from the Himachal cabinet and joined the Himachal Vikas Congress, the party they had left to join the BJP.

The two ministers also resigned from the primary membership of the BJP. The resignations were sent to Mr JaiKrishan Sharma, Himachal BJP Chief. Mr Mansa Ram and Mr Chaudhary were elected on HVC ticket but were made to join the BJP before taking oath as legislators by Mr Sukh Ram, the party chief, to prevent the Congress from forming government through defections in the wake of a hung Assembly. The two later were made ministers by Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, who headed the BJP-HVC coalition.

Relations between the two parties strained after the BJP secured majority on its own by winning Baijnath and Solan byelections. Mr Sukh Ram used to complain that Mr Dhumal was not following coalition culture and that his party was being given a raw deal but he did not end the alliance pleading that political instability would affect development in the state. He also had a grouse that the party was not consulted on important policy matters. He had also opposed setting up of cement plants, imposition of user-charges and the power tariff hike. The two ministers told The Tribune that they felt like outsiders in the BJP even though Mr Dhumal, Chief Minister’s, attitude to them was accommodating. The party’s cadre never accepted them, ignoring the fact that the BJP came to power only because of them. When they were ‘sent’ to the BJP, it was agreed that the BJP-HVC coalition would work on the basis of a common minimum programme. However, later the BJP refused to have a common programme and also rejected the party’s demand for setting a committee to ensure proper implementation of the common minimum programme.

They said that they felt suffocated within the BJP and on several occasions discussed the issue with Mr Sukh Ram who preferred to honour his commitment to support the alliance for full term of five years. Now the Dhumal government has completed tenure and elections amounted, they were returning to their parent party.

On their future plan, the two ministers said that they would abide by decisions of Mr Sukh Ram on the Assembly elections.

Mr Sukh Ram welcomed the two leaders back into the party and said they were in the BJP only physically, emotionally they were part of the HVC and their return would strengthen the party.

Their return would make it more difficult for the HVC and the Congress to arrive at an electoral understanding. The HVC would demand two more seats to accommodate them and the Congress may not be in a position to do so.