Chilling-cold Politics heats in RS poll as rebel & BJP plans defection in Himachal
Amid the Budget Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, the state politics suddenly heated up as BJP Legislature Party and Former Congress Rebel plunged into the Rajya Sabha poll planning defection among eight odd Congress legislators and sailing on the vote of three independent MLAs.
Former Congress Legislator and BJP leader from Chamba Harsh Mahajan moved nomination papers on the BJP ticket from Himachal Pradesh on Thursday moving against BJP former RS member and Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the race of one RS seat going vacant ( after the retirement of BJP President JP Nadda ) next month.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur gave fillers yesterday while talking to media people that the party may not want polling of the RS seat uncontested and contemplating fighting the poll.
On Thursday morning BJP Legislators party meeting was held in the Opposition lobby informing its members of the assembly that the party’s high command decided to give its candidate and not allow the Congress party candidate elected unopposed.
After this Mr Mahajan who reported in touch with eight Congress MLAs and three Independents moved nomination papers on the last date of filling the paper this morning before the assembly session.
Mr Mahajan was among three Congress former MLAs who joined the BJP in the last three years and he has a strong influence on the Congress party Legislators belonging to former chief minister Virbhadra Singh camp. About half a dozen MLAs belonging to Virbhadra Singh camp are disgruntled with the current Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government.
Mr Mahajan despite being in BJP is wielding strong influence on many Congress workers including Shimla, Kangra, and Hamirpur district. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s government has to face this litmus test before the LS election to ensure the victory of Rajyasabha candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and party besides saving the image and stability of his government as defection in one-year government may dent his political acumen beyond repair as he couldn’t sail smoothly in the future as well due to Modi Government repeated toppling of Congress Government and chief minister in recent years.
Congress party earlier contemplating to put the Congress former president Sonia Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Himachal Pradesh but the party opened its cards only yesterday by deciding to nominate SC noted Supreme Court lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi who also moved his paper on Thursday (today) on the last date of filling nomination. Notification for only Rajya Sabha elections was announced on December 13 and today was the last date of filling the paper.
State Politics which was quite an ice chilled suddenly hotted up with the BJP move to jump in the fray for the RS Poll today which may provide opportunities for the Congress government and party to manage the house to face the debacle in the upcoming LS poll, as well as Congress, have only one Lok Sabha MP and BJP.
In the State Assembly, Congress has 40 MLAs including the support of three Independent and BJP 25. Congress Party would need 35 votes to ensure the victory in RS poll as polling would be held on February 27 in the state.
The health of the present government also would have serious ramifications if out of 40 MLAs, one to two MLAs cross the party in the polling of RS.
BJP despite knowing the fact that it could not muzzle sufficient votes in 68 members’ houses may coup defection in the Congress party regime and wanted to emerge stronger after the 2022 assembly debacle and before the upcoming LS poll.
According to political pundits, there is a high risk of horse-trading in the polling, and gratification in the legislature never known previously could not ruled out as it may be hatched or orchestrated given the track record of Congress rebels nominated by the BJP.
