After six Congress MLAs voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha election for the lone seat from Himachal Pradesh, the party’s top brass in the state including Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and ministers met late Tuesday night amid reports that the BJP might bring a no-confidence motion against the state government.
Sukhu alleged the BJP has kidnapped Congress MLAs and said six Congress legislators and three Independents, who were supporting his party, voted for BJP’s nominee Harsh Mahajan.
According to sources, six rebel Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh want CM Sukhu to be removed and claim they have the support of 20 other MLAs. Sources said two Congress observers– DK Shivkumar and BS Hooda– will be sent to Shimla on Wednesday.
BJP leader and former CM Jai Ram Thakur claimed that the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government has lost the majority and demanded his resignation. Thakur and the BJP delegation will also meet the Governor on Wednesday morning.
BJP Wins Himachal Rajya Sabha Seat
The Congress has a clear majority with 40 out of the 68 MLAs and the support of three independent MLAs. Even though the BJP, with 25 MLAs, was far behind in the number game, it forced a contest by fielding Mahajan against Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
However, Mahajan emerged victorious after 6 Congress MLAs and 3 Independent MLAs voted for the BJP candidate. “Nine cross-votings took place, three of them were Independent MLAs but six others sold their honesty…and voted against him (Abhishek Singhvi)…,” said Sukhu, who also alleged that the BJP has kidnapped Congress MLAs.
Singhvi said both candidates got 34 votes each and the result was decided by “Draw of Lots”.
The Congress had issued a whip to its MLAs to vote for Singhvi following which the BJP had accused the ruling party of issuing whip to their members to put pressure on them and maintained that the MLAs have been elected democratically and have the right to vote as per their wish.
(with inputs from ANI, PTI)
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