In a major jolt to the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan has won the Rajya Sabha election after declaration of result at Shimla on Tuesday.
Despite, BJP having 25 MLAs and Congress having absolute majority with 40 MLAs in the house of 68, and also claiming support of 3 Independent MLAs, the victory of Mahajan has not only surprised everyone but made resentment against the Sukhu government evident as 6 of the Congress MLAs voted against the Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi resulting into his defeat and great humiliation for ongress High Command and the Sukhu government.
In the election for one Rajya Sabha seat today, all 68 MLAs casted their votes, both BJP and Congress candidates cast 34 votes each and BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan won the election after a toss.
Six Congress MLAs – Rajender Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, ID Lakhanpal, Chaitanya Sharma, Devinder Bhutto and three Independents MLAs Hoshiar Singh, KL Thakur and Ashish Sharma reportedly voted in favour of Harsha Mahajan taking the number of BJP votes from 25 to 34.
Today’s election has also put a serious question mark on the 14 months old Sukhu government as a financial bill is scheduled to be passed in the HP Assembly on Wednesday and with 9 MLAs opposing it, getting the bill passed would be a challenge.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has alleged, “Six Congress MLAs have been kidnapped by BJP leaders and taken to a hotel near Chandigarh.”
The leader of the opposition Jai Ram Thakur hailing the victory of Harsh Mahajan said, “The Congress government has lost its majority in Himachal and should immediately resign.”