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Himachal: Congress observers recommend retaining Sukhu as CM till LS elections
Hooda, Shivakumar submit report to Congress central leadership, admit there’s “huge dissatisfaction” among MLAs and ministers against Sukhu
The Congress observers appointed to address the crisis in Himachal Pradesh recommended maintaining Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu as chief minister till the Lok Sabha elections, sources said on Thursday.
Senior leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DK Shivakumar, who were appointed observers to the state, have submitted their preliminary report to the Congress high command.
Also read: Himachal Speaker disqualifies six rebel Congress MLAs
The sources said that the observers have told the party’s central leadership that there is “huge dissatisfaction” among MLAs and ministers against Sukhu.
However, the observers have recommended Sukhu remain CM till the general elections to the Lower House, according to party sources.
“There is a need to change Sukhu; the leadership should decide whether before or after the Lok Sabha elections, observer’s opinion is that Sukhu should remain the CM till the elections, the final decision is left to the leadership,” the sources said.
The observers have recommended action against the six rebel MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election, the sources said.
The final report will be submitted to Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge by Thursday evening, they said.
Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania announced on Thursday morning that the six MLAs, Sudhir Sharma, Rajinder Rana, Davinder K Bhutto, Ravi Thakur, Chaitanya Sharma and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, had been disqualified.
On Wednesday, the observers team met Sukhu at his residence in Shimla.
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and local Congress leaders and MLAs were present.
After the 2022 assembly elections, the Congress had 40 MLAs, while the BJP had 25 in the 68-member state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents. With the six rebel MLAs disqualified, the strength of the House has come down from 68 to 62 and the halfway mark is 32. The Congress now has 34 MLAs and the BJP with independents has 28. The fortunes of the Congress rest on its ability to keep its flock together.
