SHIMLA, Feb 29:
The political turmoil in Himachal Pradesh seems to be over with Congress’ central observer DK Shivakumar today announcing that all differences have been ironed out even as the assembly speaker disqualified six rebel Congress legislators over abstaining from voting on the Budget in the House.
Shivakumar also said it has been decided to form a coordination committee to sort out all internal matters and claimed the Congress Government would complete its full term in the hill state.
The announcements were made at a joint press conference which was also attended by two other central observers Bhupinder Hooda and Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Himachal Congress chief Pratibha Singh.
Shivakumar said Sukhu has taken the responsibility of Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls.
He said the Congress government would last a full term in Himachal when asked if Sukhu would continue as CM.
When reporters pressed for a direct answer to the query about Sukhu’s continuation as CM, Hooda said, “Why are you asking a hypothetical question when Sukhu is the CM.”
Shivakumar also said that the central observers have spoken to Sukhu, party MLAs and state unit chief Pratibha Singh individually and all differences have been ironed out.
“All the MLAs have assured and taken a oath to work together to save the party and the Government,” he said.
Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh, who offered to resign on Wednesday and later said that he would not press for his resignation, will attend the cabinet meeting later in the evening, the observers said.
Earlier in the day, Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Thursday disqualified six Congress MLAs, who had cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha polls, for defying a party whip to vote in favour of the government on cut motion and the finance bill (Budget) in the state assembly.
One of the disqualified MLAs said they will appeal against the Speaker’s order in the Supreme Court.
The disqualified MLAs are Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto.
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