Vikramaditya Singh resigns from Himachal Council of Ministers

Shimla, Feb 28 (IANS) A day after six Congress MLAs cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections, Vikramaditya Singh, the son of six-time Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh resigned on Wednesday from the Council of Ministers.

Accompanied by his late father Virbhadra Singh’s loyalists Nand Lal, Mohan Lal Brakta, and Harish Janartha, Vikramaditya Singh, broke down and said that he and his family were devoted to the party yet his father’s legacy had been ignored.

“The government couldn’t find a small plot of land for my late father's statue on Mall Road. I am very hurt by this.

“There is a need to look into the reasons why the Congress regime is on the brink of collapse and how did such a situation arise when the party has complete majority,” he said.

The PWD Minister said the Assembly elections were fought under the collective leadership of Congress President Pratibha Singh and Mukesh Agnihotri.

“The government was formed with everyone’s efforts. Whatever happened in the state Assembly in the last two-three days is a matter of concern,” he said and added that he was compelled to speak on the functioning of the government as no post was important to him, but the relationship with the people of the state mattered to him.

Vikramaditya Singh said legislators had been sidelined, ignored and there were fiscal mismanagement.

All these issues were raised from time to time with the High Command in Delhi but they “deliberately ignored the concerns.”

“I was humiliated as a Cabinet Minister. They way they send messages to undermine me. There has to be due regard and respect for all in the Council of Ministers,” he said.

“I am a disciplined member of the party, so I know where to draw the line,” he said.

The fact, he said, was that the youth and dedicated party workers were hurt by the turn of events.