Perturbed over the poll outcome, chief minister Virbhadra Singh on Friday declined to resign from the post, while owning moral responsibility for the party’s ‘miserable’ performance.
“Prem Kumar Dhumal is in the habit of demanding resignation even over trivial matters. It is his wishful thinking which will never be fulfilled,” he said.
“I have no intention to resign. My government is stable and will last its full term. People of the state have given mandate for the Congress to run the government in the state,” this is how Virbhadra reacted when asked on his rival former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumals’ demand for his resignation.
Amid the counting for Hamirpur parliamentary seat, Dhumal had termed the poll outcome in Himachal as referendum against Virbhadra’s 16-month-old government, while he equally attributed Modi wave for BJP’s spectacular victory in the state.
“He (Assam CM Tarun Gogoi) may be having his own compulsions to resign. At least, I don’t have any such compulsion to resign,” said Virbhadra, replying to a question on Gogoi offering to quit his post in the wake of party’s dismal performance.
Virbhadra said the congress has a long history, the party had faced many odds and had overcome them. “I am an old war horse in politics and know the situation well. Political situation had begun to turn around after Modi’s election tour in the state,” said Virbhadra, who had earlier outrightly rejected Modi wave in the state.
{{/usCountry}}Virbhadra said the congress has a long history, the party had faced many odds and had overcome them. “I am an old war horse in politics and know the situation well. Political situation had begun to turn around after Modi’s election tour in the state,” said Virbhadra, who had earlier outrightly rejected Modi wave in the state.
{{/usCountry}}Virbhadra Singh said that neither the organization nor his government were to be blamed for the defeat of the party in the state. He said that the government and the party would shortly assess reasons for the defeat. Virbhadra has convened a meeting of his cabinet on Saturday to take stock of the post-result scenario.
He said that there was no plan to reshuffle the cabinet.