Trouble is mounting for the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh as six MLAs reportedly cross-voted in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate during the recent Rajya Sabha elections on February 27.
Sources told News18 that the discontent among over a dozen MLAs towards Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has been conveyed to the Congress high command. Some legislators have even proposed the name of Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri for the CM post, according to News18.
The rebellion, led by MLAs Sudhir Sharma and Rajendra Rana, who were not included in the Sukhu government's ministerial roster, has stirred internal dissent. Rana, hailing from the CM's home district, has rallied two additional MLAs from the same region to join the dissent.
Amidst growing dissent, the Congress leadership has initiated efforts to mollify the disgruntled legislators. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed senior leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DK Shivakumar to engage with the six MLAs.
Speculations are rife about the Congress contemplating various proposals, including appointmenting two more deputy chief ministers to maintain regional balance. The six dissident MLAs, who left Shimla for Haryana after participating in the Rajya Sabha polls, are reportedly in communication with the BJP, signalling a potential crisis for the Congress-led government in the hill state.
Concurrently, members of the BJP Legislative Party, under the leadership of Jai Ram Thakur, have met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, fuelling speculation about a no-confidence motion against the Congress government.
With the Congress holding 40 seats in the 68-member state assembly and the BJP 25, along with three seats held by independents, the political landscape in Himachal Pradesh remains volatile.
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