Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched an attack on BJP over the Himachal Pradesh crisis
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has launched an attack on the BJP over allegations that the party is working overtime to overthrow the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh.
In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi alluded to the cross-voting by six of her party's MLAs in the Rajya Sabha election yesterday, and questioned how the Opposition BJP with just 25 MLAs is challenging the majority party that has 43 MLAs.
"In democracy, the public has the right to choose the government of their choice. The people of Himachal Pradesh used this right and formed the Congress government with a clear majority. But BJP wants to crush this right of the people by misusing money power, power of agencies and power of the Centre," Priyanka Gandhi said in the post in Hindi.
The six Congress MLAs were taken to Haryana last night. They returned to Shimla today, along with three independents. All nine of them reached the Himachal Pradesh assembly this morning. They were greeted with thumping and slogans by BJP MLAs.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, who rubbished talk of his resignation today, had alleged the Congress MLAs were kidnapped and taken away by the Haryana Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
"The way BJP is using government security and machinery for this purpose is unprecedented in the history of the country. If a party with 25 MLAs is challenging the majority of 43 MLAs, then it clearly means that it is dependent on horse-trading of representatives," Priyanka Gandhi said.
"This attitude of theirs is unethical and unconstitutional. The people of Himachal and the country are watching everything. The BJP, which did not stand with the people of the state during the natural disaster, now wants to push the state into political disaster," she said.
The Congress MLAs who cross-voted were "disappointed" with the working style of Mr Sukhu, news agency PTI reported.
For now, Himachal Pradesh is on the brink with the BJP demanding a test of strength after winning the state's only Rajya Sabha due to the cross-voting by the Congress MLAs.
The assembly speaker today expelled 15 BJP MLAs over slogan-shouting and alleged misconduct.
The decision of Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh to resign also brought to the fore cracks in the party, which is now scrambling to keep its flock intact to prevent the fall of its government.
Vikramaditya Singh is the son of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and an MLA from Shimla Rural.