Congress in Deep Crisis in Himachal, Virbhadra Singh’s Son Resigns As Minister

New Delhi: Adding to the Congress’ problems in Himachal Pradesh, state minister Vikramaditya Singh resigned as minister on Wednesday morning. He accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of overlooking MLAs and disrespecting his father, Congress’s tallest leader in the hill state, the late Virbhadra Singh.

Addressing newsmen, “We need to go into the background and see what led to this situation. I would like to rewind your memory. The 2022 Assembly elections were fought and won under the collective leadership of then Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, state Congress chief Pratibha Singh and campaign committee head and current Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. There is no doubt that the polls were fought in the name of former Chief Minister, late Virbhadra Singh. There was no banner or poster that did not have his photo. A day before the polls, a full-page newspaper ad had his photo with the message, ‘Remember me, vote in my name’. This is a matter of record,” he said.

“I will not succumb to any pressure or tactics. I am son of Virbhadra Singh, who did politics on his own terms with due respect to the high command. It is my responsibility to carry forward that legacy”, he said.

“With a heavy heart, I have to admit that Virbhadra Singh who remained six-time CM was denied space for his statue”, he added.

Breaking down while talking about the complete disregard shown to his father, he said it does not matter to him whether the government stays or goes.

He made it clear that he would no longer take “this kind of shabby treatment”.

Congress has sent senior leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DK Shivakumar to Himachal for damage control.

The Congress government faces a crisis after six of its MLAs cross-voted in the contest for the lone Rajya Sabha seat on Tuesday. The Opposition BJP on Wednesday claimed that the ruling party had lost the mandate to continue in power.