Rebel Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs to challenge disqualification in High Court

Six rebel Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh - Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma, and Devinder Kumar Bhutto - who were recently disqualified by Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, plan to contest the decision in the High Court.

The disqualification stemmed from their defiance of the party's whip during the Rajya Sabha polls when they abstained from voting on the finance bill.

A cabinet minister reportedly held a meeting with the rebel MLAs, and they are preparing their legal petition to challenge the disqualification in the High Court. This move has left several assembly constituencies vacant, impacting the effective strength of the House and reducing the Congress's majority.

Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, citing the violation of the anti-defection law, announced the disqualification, asserting that the MLAs had immediately ceased to be members of the House. Senior advocate Satya Pal Jain, representing the disqualified MLAs, argued that the required seven days for responding to the notice were not provided, and crucial documents were not supplied.

This development occurred amid a larger setback for the ruling Congress, as the BJP secured Himachal's lone Rajya Sabha seat. The Speaker emphasized the need for swift judgments in such cases to preserve democracy's dignity and prevent party-switching by legislators.

Addressing the internal strife, Congress' central observer DK Shivakumar stated that all differences had been resolved. A coordination committee was formed to handle future internal matters, ensuring that the Congress government would complete its term in the hill state.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed confidence in the government despite challenges, including Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi's defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls.