Two days after Congress rebel Sudhir Sharma sent a defamation notice to Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, another party rebel Rajinder Rana on Sunday sent a similar notice to the CM. The notice asks the CM for furnishing an unconditional apology.
The CM had been saying that the nine MLAs, including six Congress rebels and three Independent legislators who voted in favour of Bharatiya Janata Party nominee Harsh Mahajan during the Rajya Sabha polls on February 27, had “sold their souls” and even compared them with black snakes during his speeches.
During a rally in Una district, Sukhu had on Thursday alleged that the Congress rebels were “corrupt” and would go behind bars. He further alleged that the six Congress rebels and three Independents were “sold” for ₹15 crore each.
Rana also claimed that CM Sukhu always stayed in a five-star hotel at night, bypassing his security in Chandigarh, instead of staying at the chief minister’s suite at Himachal Bhawan.
In a statement issued here, he asked who used to come to meet the chief minister and what “deal” was allegedly finalised with them. The notice sent by three-time MLA and BJP candidate from the Sujanpur assembly seat said that in the past few weeks, the CM Sukhu has been painting Rana’s character as a “venal politician” who has been “purchased” by the BJP.
{{/usCountry}}In a statement issued here, he asked who used to come to meet the chief minister and what “deal” was allegedly finalised with them. The notice sent by three-time MLA and BJP candidate from the Sujanpur assembly seat said that in the past few weeks, the CM Sukhu has been painting Rana’s character as a “venal politician” who has been “purchased” by the BJP.
{{/usCountry}}“The malicious, baseless, fake, fabricated, concocted, defamatory, malafide and motivated speeches and statements made by the CM have harmed and damaged the reputation of Rana and adversely affected his public image built over years,” the notice said.
Rana alleged that the kind of language used by the CM does not match with the proud culture and decency of Himachal Pradesh.The rebels MLAs had later joined the BJP and the six Congress rebels who were disqualified for defying a whip to be present in the assembly and vote in favor of the government during the cut motion and budget were given tickets by the BJP from their respective assembly constituencies.
With PTI inputs