Rajinder Rana.
Credit: Facebook/rajinderranahamirpur
Shimla: Running from Sujanpur to Shimla and from Shimla to Delhi with folded hands for the fulfilment of the promises made by the Congress in the run-up to the last Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh did not yield results and "I wished for justice, but got only humiliation," rebel party MLA Rajinder Rana has said.
In a Facebook post addressed to the people of the hill state on Tuesday, Rana, who caused a major upset by defeating former chief minister P K Dhumal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2017 Assembly polls, said despite several efforts, he was neither heard by the Congress leadership in Shimla nor in Delhi.
Six rebel Congress MLAs, including Rana, who were disqualified for defying the party whip asking them to be present in the Assembly and vote in favour of the state government during cut motions and the budget, moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday against their disqualification. These legislators had voted for BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the recently-concluded Rajya Sabha polls.
"You are well aware of the political developments taking place in the state in the last few days and I am writing this post to apprise you of a hidden conspiracy, because my commitment, attachment, loyalty, dedication, trust and responsibility are towards you, not to some dwarf emperor sitting at the pinnacle of power," Rana said in his post in Hindi on Facebook.
"You will remember the promises we had made to you as Congress workers during the Himachal election. You voted for us, believing in our promises, and gave us an opportunity to turn our promises into reality. But what is the reality of those promises today? If I sit down to write about this now, then a whole book on breach of promises will be written" he added.
The Congress MLA said in the end, he was left with two options -- to enjoy the pleasures of power by joining the kitchen cabinet of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu or sound the bugle of rebellion.
"I went with the second option in the interest of the state," Rana said.
He added that 'Devbhoomi' has taught him since his childhood that if a rebellion is necessary for the truth, one must never hesitate and "I adorned the teachings, values and culture of Devbhoomi ... and sounded the bugle of rebellion".
"My rebellion against the conspiracy of the present Congress government is at its last stage and very soon, you will see the result that would prove to be a pleasant milestone for Himachal," Rana said while urging the people of the hill state to shower their blessings on him in the future too.