Rajya Sabha Himachal Pradesh Polls: The BJP's win was the result of cross-voting by Congress MLAs
The Leader of the Opposition and other BJP MLAs this morning met the Himachal Pradesh Governor, seeking a test of strength for the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government in the state Assembly.
This comes a day after the BJP managed to pull off a victory for its candidate in the lone Rajya Sabha seat. The BJP's win was the result of cross-voting by Congress MLAs and a draw of lots that went in its favour.
"We have pulled off a victory when our chances seemed very low. BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan won the Rajya Sabha elections. Currently, the Congress government has lost the moral right to stay in power," Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur said after meeting the Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla.
Jairam Thakur alleged that the marshals misbehaved and manhandled BJP members when they wanted to speak to Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania after he did not allow division of votes in cut motions pertaining to the health department. "We have apprised the Governor about it," he said.
The meeting comes amid a buzz that the BJP will move a no-confidence motion in the Assembly today as the Budget Session begins.
Mr Thakur - who was also the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister until 2022, when the BJP lost to the Congress - yesterday demanded a division of votes for passing the state Budget instead of a voice vote.
If allowed, the division of votes would establish the actual support of each party. Should the Congress government fail to get the Budget passed, it would automatically prove that it lacks a majority in the House.
The Congress has 40 MLAs in the Assembly and its candidate, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, was expected to win comfortably. During the voting for the only Rajya Sabha seat for which elections were held on Tuesday, six Congress MLAs and three Independents supporting the government reportedly cast their ballots for Harsh Mahajan.
Six Congress MLAs who cross voted in yesterday's elections and were reportedly staying at a hotel in Haryana came back to Shimla this morning ahead of the Budget Session.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had yesterday alleged that Opposition leaders were obstructing the work of counting officials, and that "5-6 Congress MLAs were taken away in a convoy of the CRPF and Haryana Police."
The BJP has 25 members in the 68-member Assembly.