A few hours after announcing his resignation on Wednesday, Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh stated that he would not press for his resignation acceptance from the cabinet till the dialogue and the action of the observers is complete.
While addressing the media, Singh confirmed that he had submitted his resignation to the Chief Minister and the Governor. However, after meeting with central observers, he changed his stance, saying he would not push for his resignation. He mentioned, “I have offered my resignation, but Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has not accepted it,” as PTI reported.
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Singh explained that central observers assured him that his concerns would be addressed, and in the interest of the organisation, he decided not to pursue his resignation. He emphasised, “In the larger interest, I will not press for my resignation.”
He pointed out, however, that there is a difference between taking back his resignation and deciding not to press for it to be accepted.
Previously, Singh had mentioned facing attempts to humiliate and undermine him, but despite reservations, he supported the government. The Congress party has been facing challenges since losing the lone Rajya Sabha seat to the BJP on Tuesday, with six of its members cross-voting in the poll.
As Vikramaditya Singh announced his resignation, he expressed being “deeply hurt” by the events of the past two days and called for reflection on what went wrong for the Congress party.
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“The Congress party had made promises to the people and we owe the responsibility to fulfill those promises. I would decide my future course of action after consulting my supporters,” Vikramaditya Singh said.
He stated that the 2022 state assembly elections were fought in the name of his father, former chief minister Virbhadra Singh. “There was no poster or hoarding or banner which did not carry his picture. There was a full-page ad with his picture in the newspapers a day before voting,” he remarked.
Previously, upset over the omission of certain sections in the budget, Vikramaditya Singh had attributed it to negligence on the part of some officers, stating that strong cognisance had to be taken of the issue.