Himachal CM Sukhu puts forth brave face amid crisis, claims support of 80% MLAs

New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday expressed confidence that he will sail through the present political crisis as 80 per cent of MLAs are supporting him and that he will be able to sort out issues with others.

Sukhu sought to rubbish allegations levelled by Himachal Congress chief Pratibha Singh while insisting that the government under him has given the state an "honest" administration in the past 14 months.

Asked about Pratibha's allegation that a number of MLAs have raised issues with Sukhu's style of functioning, he said, "80 per cent of the Congress is together and in the rest of that 20 per cent, some people are upset with us over small matters. It is my responsibility to clear things, so I have had discussions with six disqualified Congress MLAs." 

Sukhu said he does not know why the Himachal Congress chief has claimed that he was not taking people along. He said he regularly interacts with her.

The Chief Minister said the BJP’s spirits are high after cross-voting but this kind of situation would not arise again. "The situation will surely get better after the formation of the coordination committee. We will rise in Lok Sabha elections with full power. Congress has given honest rule in the last 14 months," he said.

When asked why minister Vikramaditya Singh visited Delhi, Sukhu said he is the PWD minister and why can't he be in Delhi. He said Vikramditya had told him that he will be in Rajasthan for some personal work on Saturday.

Rajinder Rana, one of the six Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections and was later disqualified from the assembly, said Sukhu's claim that some of them want to return was false. 

"No one wants to return. On the other hand, at least nine more MLAs are in touch with us," Rana was quoted by PTI as saying.

Asked about the possibility of cross-voting if Sonia Gandhi had contested the polls instead of Abhishek Singhvi, Rana said, "She has made a lot of contributions to the country and been Congress president. Had she fought from here, that would have been a different matter."