HP assembly passes bill granting cabinet status to chief whip

SHIMLA: Amidst opposition from the Congress, Himachal Pradesh assembly on Thursday passed the ‘salaries, allowances and other benefits of the chief whip and the deputy chief whip bill’.

As per the bill, the chief whip will be entitled to receive salary and allowances admissible to a cabinet minister while the deputy chief whip to salary and allowances on par with a minister of state.

The Congress, however, had demanded that the bill be referred to select committee but their demand was turned down. Congress members claimed that posts are political ones and by providing them cabinet status, the BJP government is setting a wrong trend.

However on Wednesday, the Congress had moved a resolution seeking the same status for chief whip and deputy chief whip of opposition party. But on Thursday they withdrew the resolution and opposed the bill.

CM Jai Ram Thakur said the Congress has dual standard on this as on Wednesday they demanded the same status for chief whip and deputy chief whip of opposition party and now they are opposing it.

Congress also raised the question of lowering the status of deputy speaker of the Vidhan Sabha. Congress legislative party leader Mukesh Agnihotri said chief whip will be of the cabinet minister’s rank while the deputy speaker possesses the rank of minister of state.

“Concept of chief whip and deputy is not new. States like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Odisha, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh have the same arrangement, said Suresh Bhardwaj, Parliamentary affairs minister.