Rajya Sabha Elections: Shock to Sukhu Government, First Cross Voting Took Place, then BJP’s Harsh Mahajan won by slip
Harsh Mahajan, Leader of Opposition Jairam and others celebrating after the victory. - Photo: Diary Times
Himachal Pradesh Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government has suffered a setback in the Rajya Sabha elections. BJP Harsh Mahajan has been elected Rajya Sabha member through cross voting. Out of total 68 MLAs, 34 MLAs voted for Congress and 34 for BJP.
After the counting of votes started at 5:00 pm, the result remained stuck till late evening after there were 34-34 votes. At around 7:45 pm, BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan was declared victorious through the slip system. Congress candidate central leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost this election.
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It should be noted that this one seat of Rajya Sabha in Himachal Pradesh had become vacant after the completion of the tenure of BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda as Rajya Sabha MP.
Voting for Rajya Sabha member started at 9:00 am on Tuesday. After this the counting of votes started at 5:00 pm. The Congress government, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, currently has 40 MLAs, while the BJP has 25 MLAs. There are 3 independent MLAs. 6 Congress and 3 independent MLAs voted in favor of BJP. After the voting, 6 Congress MLAs and 3 independent MLAs who voted in favor of BJP were taken to Panchkula under the security cover of CRPF and Haryana Police.
There was a lot of bustle in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly complex throughout the day. This led to a deadlock in the proceedings of the 11th day of the budget session. On Thursday the 13th, the government is to pass the budget for the financial year 2024-25.
Singhvi’s name was drawn, Harsh was declared the winner –
After the vote was 34-34, BJP MLAs were demanding cancellation of the vote of Congress’ Chintpurni MLA Sudarshan Bablu. The BJP alleged that the government sent a government helicopter to bring him from Hoshiarpur and then went to Shimla’s Jubbarhatti airport to pick him up in a government vehicle, which is against the rules. The Election Commission asked for proof of this from the BJP, which the BJP leaders could not provide. After this the Commission decided to declare the winner by drawing slip. After casting the slips in the names of both the candidates, the slip in the name of Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi came out. According to the rules, the one whose name is not drawn is declared the winner. In this way Harsh Mahajan was declared the winner.
Mahajan had joined BJP from Congress before the assembly elections.
Congress leader Harsh Mahajan had joined BJP only in September 2022, before the assembly elections. He has previously been one of the key advisors of senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh. Harsh was also the Animal Husbandry Minister in the former Virbhadra government. By fielding Harsh in the Rajya Sabha elections, BJP has given a big blow to the Congress government.
Nine MLAs reached Panchukala under CRPF protection-
After the assembly proceedings were over, 9 MLAs were given security by central force CRPF and Haryana Police. These include six Congress MLAs and three independent MLAs. On Tuesday, three vehicles with Haryana number were already parked outside the Assembly. As soon as the MLAs came out after the assembly proceedings were over. CRPF jawans talked to these MLAs and made them sit in the car. The vehicles of CRPF jawans were ahead and behind the vehicles of the MLAs. These MLAs reached Panchkula by 6.30 pm. An MLA himself has shared this with Diary Times. He said that one day it was bound to happen. There was an atmosphere of chaos throughout the day in the Assembly regarding cross voting. Congress MLAs and ministers were seen here and there. The talk on everyone’s lips was that cross voting had taken place in the Assembly today. But the name of the person who did cross voting was not on anyone’s lips.
Read More: Himachal: CM Sukhu Said – Nine MLAs Did Cross Voting, This Never Happened In The Culture of Himachal
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