Resignation of two MlAs as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSs) in the last 3 months in Himachal Pradesh suggests all is not well within the party and Government.
On Wednesday, Ghumarwin Congress MlA Rajesh Dharmani had resigned from the post of CPS. Although Dharmani cited personal reasons for his resignation but according to sources the real reason was that the MlA was perturbed over the recent appointment of a new MlA Bambar Thakur from his district to a committee, where senior MlA should have been appointed.
Dharmani, the two-time MlA from Ghumarwin is engineer turned politician and is considered loyalist of number two minister of the cabinet, Vidya Stokes. Earlier, another two-time MlA Rakesh Kalia had resigned from the post of CPS, citing that he has to concentrate more on the organisation in the poll bound Madhya Pradesh after being appointed secretary by AICC.
like Dharmani, Kalia is also considered close to the Vidya Stokes camp and sources said that both the CPSs have resigned from the post as despite their pleas that they should be given some more responsibilities in the government, nothing was done. MlAs have been made CPS by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to keep a balance in different factions, caste and region.
“It was better that we were without any responsibilities in the government as we are not supposed to ask any questions in the House, nor we are supposed to join the cabinet meeting or are supposed to make any alteration to the files of our department,” said one CPS on the condition of anonymity.
Chief Minister had made nine CPSs in two phases out of which now two have resigned. Both Kalia and Dharmani are said to be vocal MlAs of Congress and have worked closely with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s team.