Crisis looms over Himachal Pradesh Congress government after Vikramaditya Singh's resignation

livemint.com:

Vikramaditya Singh from the council of ministers in Himachal Pradesh has deepened the crisis for Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in the hill state. The development comes a day after at least six Congress MLAs cross-voted in Rajya Sabha elections, leading to the shocking defeat of Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi to Bharatiya Janata Party's Harsh Mahajan.

The two back-to-back events have once again brought to the fore the rift between the two factions in Himachal Pradesh Congress - one led by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and the other led by Pratibha Singh, the Lok Sabha member of parliament and Vikramaditya's mother. The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, led by Pratibha Singh, had suggested Sonia Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi be fielded for Rajya Sabha from Himachal Pradesh.

Sources said the top brass in Congress were aware of the rift and hence did not field anyone from the Nehru-Gandhi family for the risk-filled battle. Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost to BJP's Harsh Mahajan due to cross-voting by his party MLAs and through draw of lots.

Vikramaditya resigned as public works minister amid brewing discontent over Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu's leadership. He accused the Chief Minister of overlooking MLAs and disrespecting his father and Congress's tallest leader in the hill state, the late Virbhadra Singh.

"The (state) government failed to find even a small piece of land on Mall Road to install the statue of a person (Virbhadra Singh) who was the CM of Himachal Pradesh six times, because of whom this government was formed in 2022," said Vikramaditya, 34, who is also the titular king of the erstwhile princely state of Bushahr. Congress won the 2022 Himachal Pradesh election