Himachal Assembly Expels 15 BJP MLAs, Including Jairam Thakur, Amid Rajya Sabha Polls Row

Amid murmurs of rebellion from its legislators following the biennial elections to the Upper House, Himachal Pradesh minister and Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh announced his resignation on Wednesday after the ruling party lost the lone Rajya Sabha seat in the hill state.

He cited the legislators' views being "ignored" as the reason for his decision.

Himachal Assembly Expels 15 BJP MLAs

As intense political manoeuvring unfolded in Himachal Pradesh, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla was met at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday by senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Jairam Thakur, along with party MLAs.

In the assembly session on Wednesday, the Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly expelled 15 BJP MLAs, including LoP Jairam Thakur, Vipin Singh Parmar, Randheer Sharma, Lokender Kumar, Vinod Kumar, Hans Raj, Janak Raj, Balbir Verma, Trilok Jamwal, Surender Shori, Deep Raj, Puran Thakur, Inder Singh Gandhi, Dileep Thakur, and Inder Singh Gandhi, reported Hindustan Times.

Their expulsion was purportedly due to shouting slogans and engaging in misconduct within the Speaker's chamber. It is reported that the BJP demanded a floor test in the Himachal assembly, claiming that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had lost the mandate to rule.

Himachal Assembly: Unraveling the Political Drama

1. Jairam Thakur, speaking to reporters after the meeting with the Governor, asserted that BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan won the Rajya Sabha elections, implying a loss of moral authority for the Congress government.

2. The BJP's victory in the closely contested battle, where Harsh Mahajan defeated Congress's Abhishek Manu Singhvi, with both candidates securing 34 votes each, showcased significant cross-voting within the Congress ranks.

3. The support of six Congress lawmakers and three independents previously backing the government contributed to the BJP candidate's victory, leaving Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in a vulnerable position.

4. Senior Congress leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and D K Shivakumar were dispatched to engage with the disgruntled MLAs, reflecting efforts to address internal dissent.

5. Amid concerns over cross-voting, the BJP secured all eight Rajya Sabha seats it contested in Uttar Pradesh, while the opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) faced setbacks due to internal divisions.

6. SP President Akhilesh Yadav warned of strict action against those going against the party line, highlighting tensions within the party.

7. Despite challenges, the ruling Congress secured three out of four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka, while facing instances of cross-voting chaos within the state.

8. Buoyed by their victory in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP expressed confidence in winning all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections, signalling their optimism for future electoral success.

9. Senior BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi predicted a landslide victory for the BJP and the NDA in the upcoming elections, emphasizing the party's growing dominance in Indian politics.

10. The Rajya Sabha polls in three states witnessed intense political drama, solidifying the BJP's position and raising questions about the stability of opposition alliances.