Harsh Mahajan said, “This is the result of the failure of the Sukhu government” (File)
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh):
In a major blow to the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, the party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections, Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost the election, following which BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan, who won the only seat in the state, said it was the oldest party’s defeat. The “failures” of the Sukhu government.
The winner was decided through a draw as Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Harsh Mahajan and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi both got 34 votes each.
“This is not my victory but my party’s. This is the result of the failure of the Sukhu government. It is unfortunate if the government’s graph fell so quickly. Cross voting was done because the MLAs were verbally expressing their unhappiness ” “With the government…I think this is a victory for the common man and my party,” Harsh Mahajan told news agency ANI on Tuesday.
He further said that the state government is currently in minority, adding that people in the state are unhappy with the government.
“The state government is currently in minority. The people sitting in the government are ready to come this way. They are unhappy with the government. They are so upset that they can do anything. This government will not last.” It will fall under its own weight.”
Meanwhile, the BJP legislature party met the Speaker and demanded division of votes.
BJP and Himachal Pradesh Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.
“I can say that an atmosphere is being created in the country where everyone is leaving the Congress. I thank all the BJP MLAs, the Congress MLAs who helped us and also the independent MLAs,” LoP told reporters.
He further said that the credit for this for the MLAs goes to the BJP leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said, “We are right in saying that in view of this victory, Himachal Pradesh CM should resign from his post…Within a year, the MLAs have abandoned him.”
BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan, who stood against Congress veteran Abhishek Manu Singhvi, called the victory a “victory for the BJP, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah”.
In a major blow to the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, the party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections, Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost the election as “nine MLAs, including six from the party, cross-voted”.
Mr Singhvi later addressed a press conference and accepted defeat, saying the MLAs who had cross-voted had “taught him a lot about human nature, its fickleness”.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, who was present at the press conference, accused the cross-voting MLAs of “selling their integrity”. Answering questions, he expressed confidence in the party’s ability to deal with any challenge to its majority in the Assembly.
Congratulating his rival candidate Harsh Mahajan for his victory in the Rajya Sabha elections, Singhvi took a dig at the BJP for fielding a candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections when the party did not have a majority in the Assembly. BJP has 25 members in the state assembly.
“First of all, I heartily congratulate Harsh Mahajan (BJP candidate), he has won. He deserves my congratulations. I want to tell his party to introspect and think. When a 25-member party is against 43 The candidate-member party has just one message: We will shamelessly do what the law does not allow,” Mr Singhvi said.
He said that those who had cross-voted were with him for dinner last night and some of them were with him for breakfast in the morning.
“I would also like to thank the nine persons (MLAs) because they have taught me a lot about human nature, its fickleness or its tenacity. They supported us…so, I think we are bad judges of human character. Are.” They are clearly better judges of human character,” he said.
Mr Sukhu said that of the nine who cross-voted, three were independent MLAs.
“When someone sold his integrity…nine cross-voting took place, three of them were independent MLAs, but six others sold their integrity…and voted against him (Abhishek Singhvi),” he said.
Asked about speculations that the BJP would move a no-confidence motion against him, Sukhu said the majority decision would be taken in the Assembly.
“Those who have gone (cross-voting), their families are asking why they did it. So, if families are asking them, perhaps some of them will think of ‘ghar wapsi’,” he said. “
He said other Congress MLAs were also “approached” but they remained firm.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jai Ram Thakur said that Congress has lost the Rajya Sabha elections and congratulated the party’s candidate Harsh Mahajan for winning the elections.
Himachal Pradesh LoP and former Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur told reporters, “Despite such a huge majority, Congress lost the Rajya Sabha seat… I congratulate Harsh Mahajan once again.”
Out of total 68 MLAs, 67 cast their votes in the Rajya Sabha elections in Shimla.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
