Rajinder Rana, among the six Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs disqualified from the assembly for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, dismissed Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s assertion that some rebel legislators are inclined to return. Rana asserted that they are in touch with at least nine party legislators, refuting Sukhu’s claims and accusing him of misinformation.
“Nobody desires to return. Conversely, we are in contact with at least nine more MLAs,” stated Rana to Press Trust of India. In contrast, Sukhu asserted that “80 percent of the Congress is unified,” attributing dissatisfactions to “trivial issues.” He expressed optimism that the formation of a coordination committee would ameliorate the situation.
Regarding the cross-voting incident during the Rajya Sabha elections, Rana emphasized their decision aimed to uphold Himachal Pradesh’s honor and people’s interests. He questioned the absence of a Congress candidate from the state’s party workers for representation in the Rajya Sabha.
Responding to queries about the potential for cross-voting had Sonia Gandhi contested instead of Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Rana reflected on Gandhi’s contributions to the nation and her tenure as Congress president, suggesting her candidacy would have differed.
In a significant upset for the ruling Congress, the BJP clinched the state’s lone Rajya Sabha seat, setting the stage for a potential no-confidence motion in the assembly.
Another disqualified Congress MLA, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, affirmed their decision was driven by conscience, rebutting the labels of rebellion or treason.
Sukhu countered, stating, “Eighty percent of the Congress is united, with the remainder discontent over minor issues.” He emphasized his responsibility to address concerns, having engaged in discussions with the six disqualified MLAs.
Addressing the BJP’s assertion regarding the state government’s stability, Sukhu expressed confidence that such circumstances would not recur.
Looking ahead to the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Sukhu anticipated improved prospects post the coordination committee’s establishment, affirming the Congress’s commitment to transparent governance over the past 14 months.
Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania had disqualified six Congress MLAs for abstaining from voting on the Budget, precipitating their appeal to the Supreme Court against the Speaker’s decision.
The disqualified MLAs include Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma, and Devinder Kumar Bhutto.
