New Delhi:
There is a crisis in Himachal Pradesh after the Congress suffered a shocking defeat in the Rajya Sabha elections yesterday. Six MLAs voted against each other, and three independents sided with the BJP, raising doubts about the government's majority status.
Here are the top 10 points in this big story:
On Wednesday afternoon, under-fire Prime Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu dismissed rumors of his resignation. “Neither anyone (has) asked for my resignation nor have I offered my resignation to anyone. We will prove our majority. We will win…” he said, accusing the BJP of “spreading rumours” to to break the party before the budget. is submitted.
“They want to create a rift in the party. They want the Congress MLAs to leave and join them. But the Congress is united…” he stated, and also alleged that some of his legislators who had voted against each other had already made contact, and were trying to return to the herd.
The defiant comment comes amid rumors that the BJP will force the Congress into a floor test to prove its majority in the 68-member House, in which the majority limit has been set at 35.
The Congress had 40 MLAs before the cross-vote. However, if it has lost the six cross-voters, the number drops to 34 – one seat short of the majority. The BJP had 25, but could now have as many as 34, including independents, making for a dramatically hung House.
Alarmed by the potential loss of a new state government, the Congress has called in three 'observers' – Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, ex-Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state in-charge Rajeev Shukla – to defuse the situation.
Senior leader Jairam Ramesh termed the cross-vote “unfortunate” and said those responsible would be identified. However, the priority is to “save the Congress government”, he said, claiming a new chapter in 'Operation Lotus' – the term used by the Opposition as it accuses the BJP of conspiring to destroy elected governments to drop off.
However, there seemed to be a subtext in Mr Ramesh's message to the media suggesting that Prime Minister Sukhu could be removed if he does not resign. “We will have to take some tough decisions and we will not stop for that,” Jairam Ramesh said.
Meanwhile, the BJP's Jairam Thakur – who has been in charge of his party since the reversal of the Rajya Sabha elections – demanded that Sukhu resign “if he has even a sliver of morality left”. Congress “doesn't have a majority,” he said. He also claimed that 'there could be many more' after saying that nine 'opposition' MLAs 'are with us'.
The numbers game in Himachal Pradesh was further muddied this morning after the Assembly Speaker expelled 15 BJP MLAs for sloganeering and alleged misconduct. This means that the effective power of the House of Representatives drops to 53 and the effective majority to 27 – which is low enough for Congress to pass any soil test. However, if it turns out that the 15 are merely suspended, Congress would fail as the strength of the House is still 68.
If the Congress loses Himachal, it will underline the magnitude of the challenge it and the INDIA bloc – formed last year to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP, and led by the party – face ahead of the general elections due in take place in a few days. to soften.
With input from ANI
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