"Cannot Hold On To Own People": Amit Shah Jabs Congress Over Cross-Voting In Himachal

Hours after the Congress suffered a major defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the opposition party is falling apart and has no knowledge where its MLAs are heading and whom they are voting for.

Mr Shah's comments came after Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost to the BJP's Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha elections in the Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh amidst cross-voting by some ruling party MLAs.

He also dismissed the suggestion that there was a special strategy to ensure the BJP candidate's win.

"Congress is falling apart. The whole alliance is falling apart. They cannot hold on to their own people. They are not treating their own people properly and as a result they are falling apart," he told at a programme at the News9 Global Summit.

Asked about Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's allegations that Congress MLAs were kidnapped, the home minister questioned how was that possible as the election was held inside the assembly premises.

"See the election was held inside the assembly premises. Assembly session is on. How can someone be kidnapped. What kind of childish statement is this. Is kidnapping possible nowadays from inside assembly?" he asked.

The home minister said voting for the Rajya Sabha polls took place under the watch of camera.

"The EC's camera was installed. Observers were present, their candidate was present. They are not talking about where the votes have gone. They are talking about MLAs (kidnapping). Your votes have gone away, your MLAs have gone away and you have no knowledge what is happening," he said.

Himachal Pradesh saw cross-voting that led to the victory of BJP candidate.

Mahajan was declared winner by a draw of lots after both the candidates were tied, securing 34 votes each.

The result made it clear that six Congress MLAs and the three Independents voted in favour of the BJP.

At present, the Congress has 40 MLAs, BJP 25 while three are independents in the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly.
 

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