Himachal Rajya Sabha Election: After the ruling Congress lost its only Rajya Sabha seat in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, the BJP has called for a floor test there as it faces potential revolt from its lawmakers in the wake of the Upper House’s biennial elections.
Jairam Thakur’s Strategic Meeting
Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the state legislature Jairam Thakur met with party MLAs at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday as intensive political manoeuvring began in Himachal Pradesh. According to sources, the BJP insisted on a floor test in the Himachal assembly, alleging Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu had forfeited his right to hold office.
Jairam Thakur’s Announcement
Following his meeting with the Governor, Jairam Thakur told reporters, “Harsh Mahajan, the BJP candidate, won the Rajya Sabha elections.” The government of Congress currently lacks the moral justification to continue in office.”
The BJP won, causing a surprise upset for the Congress, which is currently in power in Himachal Pradesh. In a closely fought campaign that resulted in a tie, Harsh Mahajan of the BJP defeated Abhishek Manu Singhvi of the Congress. Both candidates received 34 votes apiece, suggesting a high level of cross-voting within the Congress membership.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s Precarious Position
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is in a precarious position following the election of the BJP candidate, who had the backing of three independents and six Congress members who had previously supported the administration. Senior Congressmen Bhupinder Singh Hooda and D K Shivakumar have been sent by the top command to speak with the unhappy MLAs.
MLAs’ Departure for Haryana
After casting their ballots in the Rajya Sabha elections, the six MLAs departed Shimla for Haryana. The MPs, who are allegedly in contact with the BJP, were flown back to the capital of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday.
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP was victorious, securing all eight Rajya Sabha seats that it ran for. One of the opposition Samajwadi Party’s (SP) three nominees lost the election as a result of certain lawmakers’ cross-voting.
Akhilesh Yadav’s Stern Warning
Concerned with both cross-voting and resignations, SP President Akhilesh Yadav threatened to take tough measures against anybody who deviated from the party line. Keshav Prasad Maurya, the deputy chief minister for the BJP, asserted that Yadav erred in running a third candidate and lacked the necessary support. In spite of the unrest, the ruling Congress party won three of Karnataka’s four Rajya Sabha seats. Along with Narayansa K. Bhandage of the BJP, elected members include Syed Naseer Hussain, G. C. Chandrasekhar, and Ajay Maken of the Congress.
Cross-voting turmoil was also seen in Karnataka, where one member abstained and BJP MLA S T Somashekar voted for Ajay Maken. Encouraged by the overwhelming success in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP declared that it is confident it will secure all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the next elections. Senior BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi, a victorious candidate, said, “Definitely, this is an indication of the future. It will be 80 out of 80 (Lok Sabha seats) in UP, and 400-plus for NDA (National Democratic Alliance) nationally.”
Impact of Cross-Voting in Three States
Cross-voting influenced the results of the Rajya Sabha votes in three states on Tuesday, creating a political roller coaster and strengthening the BJP’s position ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections while placing the opposition INDIA alliance in a more vulnerable position than before.