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Cong-BJP battle in HP reaches Raj Bhawan
Tribune News Service

Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal with other BJP MLAs on their way to the Raj Bhawan in Shimla on Wednesday. Photo: Amit Kanwar

Shimla, August 13
The battle between the Congress and the BJP, which was being fought in the Assembly till the House was adjourned sine die on Tuesday, reached the Raj Bhawan today with both sides trying to hit out at each other.

It was a day of hectic political activity as state Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and ministers in the Virbhadra Singh government marched to the Raj Bhawan to demonstrate that the Chief Minister enjoyed the backing of the party and ministers and the "BJP was trying to destabilise the government".

Earlier in the day, the BJP legislature party led by Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal submitted a memorandum to the Governor seeking dissolution of the Assembly and holding fresh elections as "the government was not serious about the Assembly session".

Sukkhu and ministers in the Virbhadra Cabinet drove to the Raj Bhawan immediately after the Cabinet meeting this afternoon and submitted a memorandum to Governor Urmila Singh to express solidarity with Virbhadra Singh. The abrupt adjournment of the Assembly session, which was to conclude on August 29 after 16 sittings, was called off on Tuesday on the fifth day. "The BJP has failed to play the role of a responsible Opposition and its unruly behaviour has lowered the dignity of the House," the Congress memorandum stated.