Congress MLAs were ‘disappointed’ with working style of Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu, demand his replacement
New Delhi, February 27
Hours after six Congress MLAs voted in favour of the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, the party’s top leadership swung into action to pacify the disgruntled legislators.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appointed senior leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DK Shivakumar to engage with the six MLAs, who are learnt to be “disappointed” with the working style of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and are seeking his replacement.
Sources said former Haryana chief minister Hooda and Karnataka deputy chief minister Shivakumar would reach Shimla early on Wednesday to take stock of the situation as the Congress government in the state faces an existential crisis.
The six MLAs had left Shimla for Haryana on Tuesday after casting their vote in the Rajya Sabha polls. They are learnt to be in touch with the BJP, amid signs of a crisis engulfing the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh.
The appointment of observers came amid reports that the BJP plans to meet Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla early on Wednesday before the assembly meets.
In a stunning upset for the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP on Tuesday won the state’s Rajya Sabha seat with its candidate Harsh Mahajan defeating Congress stalwart Abhishek Manu Singhvi and apparently setting the stage for a no-trust motion in the assembly.