Himachal: Some Rebel MLAs Want To Come Back, Says CM Sukhu; Also Terms Them 'Black Serpents'| What's Happening

In what appeared to be a conciliatory gesture amid the ongoing political drama in Himachal Pradesh following the Rajya Sabha polls result, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said he asked minister Vikramaditya Singh to speak to the party high-command about meeting the rebels who cross-voted in Rajya Sabha polls.

“Vikramaditya spoke to me yesterday and then today morning. He said that he is meeting the rebel MLAs, who want to return to the (Congress) fold. I told him to speak to the party high command. They are sitting at Hotel Lalit in Panchkula in Haryana boundary, we will see when they are back to Himachal boundary," Sukhu was quoted as telling news agency PTI.

However, strongly criticising the act of cross-voting with an intention to overthrow the government, CM Sukhu had called the same six MLAs “black serpents”.

"Those who sell their honour for money can never serve people', he further added.

To bring the balance back in the state after the post-Rajya Sabha election turmoil and to pacify the disgruntled section in the Congress' state unit, CM Sukhu also appointed Rampur MLA Nand Lal chairman of 7th State Finance Commission with the status of a cabinet minister. The MLA picked for the post is considered close to Vikramaditya Singh and Pratibha Singh.

The cross-voting chaos in Himachal

The political crisis in Himachal was triggered by six Congress MLAs' act of cross-voting as they voted for BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election for the lone seat from the state because of which the MLAs voting for the Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi failed to make it past the half-way mark in 68-member House.

Later, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania disqualified the six from the assembly after the Congress complained that they had kept away from voting on the state budget despite a party whip. Fifteen BJP MLAs were suspended over a ruckus in the House.