Congress bound to win as it's backed by honest people: Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday hit out at the Congress rebel and now the BJP candidate for Barsar assembly seat, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, for ditching the party at a time when his services were desperately needed.

Addressing election rallies at Chakmoh and Bijkheri to seek votes for Congress Lok Sabha candidate Satpal Raizada and Barsar assembly candidate Subhash Dhatwalia, Sukhu said there is a fight between honesty and dishonesty. The Congress party is bound to win the fight as it is backed by honest and hard working people, he added.

Lakhanpal was among the six Congress MLAs who voted in favour of the BJP Rajya Sabha nominee, Harsh Mahajan, on February 27. Two days later, they were disqualified for defying a party whip to be present in the Vidhan Sabha and voting in favour of the government during the cut motions and budget.

These MLAs later joined the BJP and were given the ticket from their respective assembly seats.

Sukhu said Lakhanpal has a 'sweet tongue' but a 'black heart'. Despite having 'sold' himself in the 'political market', Lakhanpal talked sweetly and had breakfast with the Congress before the Rajya Sabha elections on February 27, the chief minister added.

"Lakhanpal ditched the Congress party at a time when his services were desperately needed. He has a sweet tongue but a black heart," said Sukhu.

"We have lodged an FIR against those who conspired to topple the government. Investigation has found that each MLA has been given room rent of Rs 2 lakh each," he said, and added that three MLAs of the Hamirpur district have been sold for more than Rs 15 crore each.

Sukhu mocked the BJP leaders for claiming that they will win all the four Lok Sabha and six assembly seats and said everything will become crystal clear when the results are out on June 4.

He said when Jai Ram Thakur was the chief minister, the BJP had lost one Lok Sabha and four assembly seats to the Congress. The BJP will remember that instance before making loud claims, he added.