DW BUREAU / Shimla

Firing a fresh salvo at the six disqualified Congress MLAs, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said they are being driven from one place to other like a shepherd herds a flock.

Six Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs who voted against party nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha elections, along with three Independent lawmakers, have shifted to a hotel in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand amid an ongoing rebellion

against Sukhu.

Addressing a public meeting at in Mandi, Sukhu said the BJP is shepherding the six disqualified Congress MLAs, who betrayed the party, from one place to another, according to a statement.

He also asked why the BJP kept the rebels MLAs in a hotel in Haryana's Panchkula before flying them to Dehradun in a chartered plane and lodging them in a seven-star hotel in Rishikesh.

"These MLAs breached the trust of the people of their constituencies and the party by not listening to the call of conscience," he said.

Sukhu added that the public will teach a lesson to those who tried to hatch a conspiracy and asserted that his government will complete its full tenure.

Sukhu said he came from an ordinary background and became the chief minister by fighting for the rights of the people.

The post of the chief minister belongs to a common man and not to someone who wants the chair for power and enjoyment and uses money to snatch it, he added.

Two BJP MLAs Vikram Thakur and Trilok Jamwal from Himachal Pradesh were accompanying the rebel Congress legislators, who arrived in Rishikesh from Haryana's Panchkula by a chartered flight late on Friday and checked into Hotel Taj.

Congress MLAs Sudhir Sharma, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Devinder Kumar Bhuttu, Ravindra Thakur and Chaitanya Sharma have been disqualified for defying the party whip on the state budget.

They have approached the Supreme Court for relief in the matter. Three Independent MLAs Hoshiar Singh, KL Thakur and Ashish Sharma were also with them when they arrived.

The globally acclaimed International Shivratri Mahotsav began today with Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu formally announcing the opening of the grand event from the historic Paddal Ground of Mandi.

Earlier, the Chief Minister offered obeisance at the temple of the main deity Shri Raj Madhav Rai and participated in the traditional Shobha Yatra Jaleb that started from the temple. The Chief Minister's wife Kamlesh Thakur was also present with him.

Thousands of devotees dressed in traditional attire carried the palanquins of their local deities to the Paddal ground. The procession took place at Paddal ground. The Chief Minister also participated in the turban ceremony and performed puja at Shri Raj Madhav

Rai Temple.

Addressing a huge public meeting at Paddal, the Chief Minister announced a 10 percent increase in the Nazarana of the deities and 10 percent increase in the honorarium of the Bajantris. He said the people of Himachal have strong beliefs in Gods and local deities. The government was blessed to work for the benefit of Dev Samaj.
(editor@dailyworld.in)