Independent MLA, Cong. rebel’s father booked for ‘poll offences’ in Himachal
Being pressured by the CM to return to Cong. fold, say rebel legislators camping in Uttarakhand; police complaint filed by two Congress MLAs seeking investigation into charges of money trading
The political crisis in Himachal Pradesh took a new turn on Sunday with the police registering a case against Hamirpur’s Independent legislator Ashish Sharma, Gagret’s nowdisqualified MLA Chetanya Sharma’s father, and others on charges of “electoral offences” and bribery.
Mr. Ashish and Mr. Chetanya are among the nine MLAs, including six Congress rebels and three Independents, who voted in favour of the BJP nominee, Harsh Mahajan, in the Rajya Sabha elections on February 27. This led to a crisis in the Congress government, which appeared to have lost its majority in the Assembly.
Guarded by the Central Reserve Police Force, the nine MLAs and two BJP legislators are currently in Rishikesh in BJPruled Uttarakhand and have alleged pressure from CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
The case was registered at the Boileauganj police station on the basis of a complaint by Congress MLAs Sanjay Avasthi and Bhuvneshwar Gaur who sought an investigation into charges of money trading, misuse of helicopter and security forces and criminal misconduct.
They legislators said direct evidence is available that the BJP is paying for the transportation of the Congress rebels and Independents through choppers and accommodation in fivestar properties in Haryana and Uttarakhand. They said there is proof of BJP legislators accompanying them, and cited the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Sita Soren vs Union of India in the complaint. They alleged the role of Mr. Chetanya’s father Rakesh Sharma, a retired bureaucrat, in reportedly arranging for the transportation.
Joint statement
Terming the present Congress government as the most unpopular and inexperienced till date, the rebel MLAs said a lot of pressure is being put on them to return to the Congress fold. In a joint statement issued on Sunday, they said they are fighting a battle of selfrespect and questioned the mindset of the Chief Minister, who is approaching them for compromise on the one hand and issuing statements like “black snakes” and “shepherds” on the other.
During public meetings, Mr. Sukhu had said “six black snakes” of the Congress sold their honour and tried to destablise the State government and later compared them to “shepherds” being moved from one place to another.
“With this attitude, the CM should be ready to face the consequences in future,” said Rajinder Rana, one of the six Congress rebels. “If the CM thinks that he could win hearts by registering false complaints, he is mistaken. This kind of politics compelled the MLAs to vote in favour of the BJP. Pressure tactics will not help,” he added.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Tuesday a plea by the six rebel Congress MLAs against their disqualification.