Himachal Pradesh Political Crisis LIVE: Budget passed as BJP MLAs stage walkout

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the six party lawmakers who voted in favour of the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, causing political turmoil in the hill state. Calling for an “assessment of assets and liabilities” of the party, the former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief said that the defeat of senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha elections is not just his loss but a larger one

As six Congress MLAs, who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls on Tuesday went missing, only to return to Shimla the next day from an ‘undisclosed location’, the scenario in Himachal Pradesh is the third instance of political uncertainty within just two months of 2024.

Earlier in February, the ruling Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance effectively ended in Bihar, as CM Nitish Kumar ended ties with Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. Kumar then secured an alliance with the BJP, resigned from his post, and the new alliance won the trust vote in the state Assembly.

Questions on the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha government’s future arose as then CM Hemant Soren submitted his resignation moments before his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a land scam case. JMM leader and Hemant Soren loyalist Champai Soren won the trust vote in the Jharkhand Assembly.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said “…We’ve brought disqualification motion against them (Congress MLAs who voted for BJP candidate in RS polls) and hearing for the same is underway. The budget was passed today and the conspiracy to topple our govt has been foiled and our govt will complete 5 years…”

“Since petition has been filed under anti-defection law (10th Schedule), I am bound to take immediate steps. As soon as the petition was filed, I issued show-cause notice to them (Congress MLAs who cross-voted in Rajya Sabha polls) and today, their authorised lawyers are appearing,” said Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a press conference on Wednesday that the Congress had sent three senior leaders—former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka D.K. Shivakumar, and former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda—to Shimla to speak to the party’s MLAs, after the cross-voting of nine MLAs in the Rajya Sabha elections yesterday threw the state’s government into a crisis.

Ramesh said that all decisions regarding the path ahead would be taken after the observers submitted their report, and would place the party’s interests and the popular mandate above all individuals. He declined to comment on whether or not Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu would be replaced, and emphasised that any “tough decisions” would only be taken after the discission of the report.

“They [the observers] have spoken to the Congress President today morning, and the Congress President has told them to meet all the MLAs, listen to their complaints and demands [..] and present a report to me as soon as possible. [..] Cross-voting has happened, but now we have to thing of what happens next,” Ramesh said.

Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha was on Wednesday adjourned sine die after the passing of budget for 2024-25 and related Appropriation Bill authorising the government to spend ₹6,24,21.73 crore from the consolidated fund.

The Budget was passed in the absence of BJP members as 15 of them were suspended and the remaining ten staged a walk out in protest

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “One of the MLAs (who voted for BJP candidate in RS polls) has said to forgive him as he has betrayed the party…People of the state will give them an answer…”

Further, talking to reporters on Vikramaditya Singh’s resignation, CM Sukhu says, “I have spoken with Vikramaditya Singh and he is my younger brother. There is no reason to accept his resignation. He has some grievances that will be solved.”

On the question of joining BJP, Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh said, ‘There is nothing like this…”

He further says, “Whatever I say, it is always based on facts and circumstantial evidence. Congress government headed by CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is there in the state…Today the Finance Bill has been passed…”

The remaining 10 legislators of BJP staged a walkout from the Assembly in protest. Addressing reporters, BJP MLA Satpal Satti said, “There is no doubt that the Budget will get passed, but [(Congress) government will not survive.”

He claimed that had there been voting, at least 15 MLAs would have voted against the Budget. 

On if Vikramaditya Singh was in touch with the BJP, Satti said, “The government did not provide land to put up the statue of Virbhadra Singh at Mall Road. They disrespected him. Had it been our (BJP) government, we would have allotted the land in the first month itself. Now, it is for Vikramadityaji to take a call where he has to go.”

The Himachal Pradesh budget was passed in the Assembly on Wednesday as the BJP MLAs staged a walkout over the suspension of their fellow legislators. The Congress government has been fighting for its survival since its shock defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls yesterday

Congress will not hesitate to take tough steps as party is our priority; will not let people’s mandate be betrayed in Himachal: Jairam Ramesh

On Wednesday as the Session began, 15 BJP MLAs, including LoP Jai Ram Thakur, Vipin Singh Parmar, Randheer Sharma, Lokender Kumar, Vinod Kumar, Hans Raj, Janak Raj, Balbir Verma, Trilok Jamwal, Surender Shori, Deep Raj, Puran Thakur, Inder Singh Gandhi, Dileep Thakur and Inder Singh Gandhi, were suspended by the Assembly Speaker for allegedly shouting slogans and misconduct in his Chambers.

The failure of the Lok Sabha or a state Assembly to pass the Budget is seen as an indication of the government’s loss of majority.

Unlike other Bills, the inability to pass legislation as crucial as the Budget, without which the government cannot function, is grounds for the Prime Minister or Chief Minister to resign.

With the majority mark in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly at 35, and with neither party hitting that threshold as per the Rajya Sabha vote, more political maneuverings is likely before the Budget Session ends on Thursday.

The Congress has 40 MLAs in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly and its candidate, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, was expected to win comfortably.

However, six Congress MLAs and three Independents supporting the government reportedly cast their ballots for the BJP candidate.

BJP, which has just 25 MLAs, managed to secure 9 additional votes. The vote thus ended in a 34-34 tie. BJP candidate Mahajan ended up winning after the result was decided with a draw of lots.

If the six Congress MLAs, who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, vote against the Himachal Pradesh Budget proposed by Sukhu government, and are disqualified, the total strength of the House will come down from 68 to 62, bringing the majority mark to 31. With this new majority threshold, the Congress with its 34 MLAs should be able to pass the Budget as well as retain power.

The Congress top brass today rushed former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DK Shivakumar to Shimla to parley with members of the party which is facing loss of support and risks losing power in the state.

Sources said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is learnt to have spoken to former party chief Rahul Gandhi as also general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on the Himachal developments.

Speaking to reporters, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu asserted that no one has asked for his resignation, nor has he offered to quit.

“We will prove the majority. We will win, the people of Himachal will win,” he said.

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh has said that a report would be presented to Congress President Malliakrjun Kharge by DK Shivakumar and Bhupinder Singh Hooda who have been appointed as the ‘Observers’ in the Himachal Pradesh political crisis.

According to Jairam, the party will take the next step based on the report.

“Maybe some harsh decisions will have to be made but we won’t shy away from that. Organisation is supreme. Congress party is supreme…,” the senior leader said.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “Neither has anyone asked for my resignation nor have I given my resignation to anyone. We will prove the majority. We will win, the people of Himachal will win…”

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh has made a statement on cross-voting in Rajya polls in Himachal Pradesh. The veteran Congress leader asked, “Why did the cross-voting happen here and how was it allowed to happen. Second, what steps should be taken to save the government and uphold the mandate? When the report comes, discussions will be held and decision will be made. Until then, all reports and speculations are baseless.”

Six Congress MLAs, who voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, and had left Haryana on Wednesday for an undisclosed location, have returned to Shimla.

The returnees also included three independent MLAs, who too had landed here yesterday after casting their votes in the Rajya Sabha election.

All nine of them reached Himachal Pradesh Assembly and greeted with thumping and slogans by BJP MLAs.

“Jai Shri Ram, Ban Gaya Kaam” the MLAs greeted them when they arrived.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Wednesday suspended 15 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs for creating ruckus in his chamber.

The 15 BJP MLA’s who were suspended from the House include Jai Ram Thakur, Vipin Parmar, Randhir Sharma, Hans Raj, Vinod Kumar, Janak Raj, Balbir Verma, Lokinder Kumar, Trilok Jamwal, Surinder Shourie, Puran Chand, Dalip Thakur, Inder Singb Gandhi, Ranbir Nikka and Deep Raj.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and incumbent Karnataka DY CM DK Shivakumar have rushed to Shimla to resolve the political situation in Himachal Pradesh.

Sources said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is learnt to have spoken to former party chief Rahul Gandhi as also general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on the Himachal developments.