Political Turmoil in Himachal as BJP Claims Victory Over Congress’s Singhvi in Rajya Sabha
Shimla, 28th February 2024: A dramatic turn of events unfolded in Himachal Pradesh as the BJP achieved an unexpected victory, defeating Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha elections. The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Himachal Pradesh, Jairam Thakur, along with the BJP’s legislative party, met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla after the Congress government faced a significant setback.
Thakur informed reporters that they had briefed the Governor about the incidents in the Assembly. He expressed dissatisfaction over the denial of their request for a division of votes during the financial bill, leading to the adjournment of the House twice. Thakur criticized the conduct of Marshals towards BJP MLAs, deeming it unacceptable.
Raising concerns about potential punitive actions, Thakur stated fears of the Vidhan Sabha Speaker suspending the BJP and some Congress MLAs who supported the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections. He declared that the Congress government had lost its legitimacy to remain in power.
The Himachal Pradesh assembly was adjourned for the day amid disruptions by both treasury and opposition benches. Thakur alleged that the government was avoiding the division of votes due to a loss of majority.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu faced embarrassment as six Congress MLAs cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections. With the Congress having 40 MLAs in the 68-member assembly and the BJP having 25, the six Congress MLAs voting for the BJP candidate set the stage for a potential no-trust motion.
To address the crisis, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge deployed senior leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and D K Shivakumar. BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar criticized the Speaker’s actions during Assembly sessions, stating that the opposition’s voices were silenced, and their attempts to engage in a customary debate were met with aggression.
