'Things were not being heard. What we brought to the high command's notice. Had they taken any action at that time, then it would have not happened.'
With as many as six out of 40 MLAs from Congress cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha election that led to the defeat of party nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government in Himachal Pradesh is staring at a crisis, which state Congress president Pratibha Virbhadra Singh contends is of the state unit's own making.
In a telephonic interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com, Singh, the wife of the late Himachal chief minister Virbhadra Singh, reveals that the party high command was appraised of the ground situation but her suggestions and advice were not heeded to resulting in Singhvi's defeat and the victory of former state Congress chief turned Bharatiya Janata Party leader Harsh Mahajan's victory.
Singhvi's defeat has come as a shock to the Congress which has 40 MLAs in the 68 member state assembly along with the support of three Independent MLAs, who also voted for Mahajan.
"We had appraised the high command several times that things are not good. Things are not good. And there was a heartburning in some MLAs," says Singh, who was also a contender for the chief minister's post when the Congress won 40 out of 68 assembly seats in the 2022 state election.
Is the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government under threat now that six Congress MLAs have cross-voted leading to Abhishek Manu Singhvi's defeat?
It is sad that we have come to such a situation.
Who is responsible for such a situation?
I can't hold anybody responsible. But the thing is we had appraised the high command several times that things are not good. Things are not good. And there was a heartburning in some MLAs. They had to be heard. They had to be listened to. I don't know. It all happened like this.
Now it is for the high command to decide what to do.
Will there be a change of guard? Will you become the new chief minister of Himachal Pradesh?
Why should I think of becoming the chief minister? Let us see what happens.
Because as you suggested Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu may not be in the good books of some Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh who cross-voted?
Some MLAs (are not happy with Sukhu). Let te high command decide what they are going to do.
Did you try to figure out who cross voted and why?
I don't know why they (six Congress MLAs cross-voted) did it. This has to be seen.
Please let us settle down. Then we'll answer all your questions. I can't say at this point what happened and why it happened like that.
Let us work out (a way out of this crisis). Let us come to a conclusion. Then we'll see.
Despite having 40 MLAs you lost the Rajya Sabha election to the BJP...
That is seen on the ground. Everybody understands why it all happened.
As I've told you already that things were not being heard. What we brought to the high command's notice.
Had they (the Congress high command) taken any action at that time then it (cross voting of six Congress MLA in favour of BJP's Harsh Mahajan leading to defeat of Congress's nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha election) would have not (happened).
Such a situation would have not arrived.
What was suggested to the high command by you? What measures were suggested?
You know I've been talking to the press that you have to keep coordination within the party (MLAs). And party workers have to be listened to.
Did Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu not listen to party workers?
Please don't put words in my mouth. You'll see the situation. Let's see what (happens now).
Do you think that the government will survive?
We'll try our best (to save the HP government).
