Himachal Pradesh Lok Sabha polls: In a major setback for the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Harsh Mahajan emerged as the winner in the Rajya Sabha polls after six MLAs of the 'Grand Old Party' cross-voted.
Both the candidates, BJP's Harsh Mahajan and Congress' Abhishek Manu Singhvi received 34 votes each. The matter was then referred to the Election Commission.
The Election Commission, through a luck-draw like system 'draw of lots', declared BJP's Harsh Mahajan as the winner.
Speaking to the media after victory in the Rajya Sabha polls, Harsh Mahajan dedicated the win to the party, PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda among other leaders. He also made a big claim that the Himachal Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu may fall in a month or week's time.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi targets BJP
Congress candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "First of all, I extend heartiest congratulations to Harsh Mahajan (BJP candidate), he has won. He deserves my congratulations. I would like to tell his party - introspect and think. When a 25-member party fields a candidate against a 43-member party, there is just one message -- we will shamelessly do that which is not permitted by the law..."
"I congratulate Harsh Mahajan (BJP candidate). he has won," Abhishek Manu Singhvi added.
Himachal govt must resign, says ex-CM Jairam Thakur
Speaking after BJP candidate's victory in Rajya Sabha polls, Jairam Thakur said, "We are rightly saying that looking at this victory, the Himachal Pradesh CM should resign from his position... The MLAs have left him just within a year."
Polling was held for 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, four in Karnataka and one seat in Himachal Pradesh. On February 20, 41 candidates including BJP chief JP Nadda, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and L Murugan were elected unopposed to the Upper House.
The result made it clear that nine MLAs voted in favour of the BJP. At present, the Congress has 40 MLAs, BJP 25 while three are independents in the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly.
ALSO READ | BJP claims victory in Rajya Sabha poll in Himachal Pradesh after cross-voting by 6 Congress MLAs
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