Following the Congress’s loss in the Assembly elections, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday met Governor Acharya Dev Vrat and tendered his resignation, along with his Council of Ministers. The Governor has accepted his resignation and asked him to continue till the new government comes into force.
Meanwhile, former Congress leader Sukhram blamed Mr. Virbhadra Singh for the party’s defeat in the Assembly elections. “It was Mr. Singh’s high headedness and constant approach to encourage factionalism in the party that have resulted in such a crushing defeat,” he said. The party has lost all 10 seats in Mandi district where Mr. Sukhram still wields a considerable influence. His son who joined the BJP on the eve of elections after getting slighted by Mr. Virbhadra Singh won by a huge margin from Mandi Sadar.
The former Minister, Thakur Kaul Singh, also blamed Mr. Virbhadra Singh for supporting a rebel, Puran Chand, in his constituency which resulted in division of Congress votes and in his eventual defeat.
A majority of Congress candidates lost the election as the rebels had entered the fray, according to political observers here.
