In a stunning reversal for the Congress, the party not only lost the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh but is also contending with a possible rebellion from its legislators following the biennial elections to the Upper House.
The Rajya Sabha polls in three states on Tuesday witnessed a whirlwind of political drama as cross-voting shaped the outcome – solidifying the BJP’s standing ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, and leaving the opposition INDIA bloc in a more precarious position than before.
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In a stunning upset for the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP emerged victorious. The BJP’s Harsh Mahajan defeated Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi in a closely contested battle that ended in a tie, with both candidates securing 34 votes each, indicating significant cross-voting within the Congress ranks.
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The victory of the BJP candidate, with the backing of six Congress lawmakers and three independents previously backing the government, has left Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on shaky ground. The Congress high-command has dispatched senior leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and D K Shivakumar to engage with the disgruntled MLAs.
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Reports of the BJP planning to meet Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and demand a floor test added to the political turmoil in Himachal Pradesh.
Source Agencies
