Rajya Sabha election results: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday (February 27) lashed out at six MLAs of the Congress party who cross-voted for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls held for the state and said that they "sold out their honesty". His remarks came after nine MLAs -- three from Independent and six Congress -- cross-voted in favour of the BJP in the polls held on Tuesday.
What did Sukhu say on Congress' loss?
"When someone has sold out their honesty...Nine cross-votings took place, three of them were Independent MLAs but six others sold their honesty...and voted against him (Abhishek Singhvi)..." Sukhu said in a joint press conference alongside Abhishek Manu Singhvi who lost to BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the draw of the lots.
When asked about speculations of BJP bringing a No Confidence Motion against him, Sukhu said that the MLAs who cross-voted might consider "ghar wapasi".
"We will see when the Assembly session commences...Those who have gone (cross-voted) are being asked by their families why they did this. So, if the families are asking them, then maybe a few of them would think about 'ghar wapasi'," he said.
This comes after the BJP said that the government has lost faith and demanded the Chief Minister's resignation post-Congress defeat in the polls.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi reacts to his loss
Singhvi, who conceded defeat after a high-voltage drama as the counting of votes concluded, extended congratulations to Mahajan and asked the BJP to "instrospect".
"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..." he said.
"I would also like to thank the nine persons (MLAs) because they have taught me a lot about human nature, its fickleness or its resoluteness. They supped with us...So, I think we are bad judges of human character, they are obviously better judges of human character," he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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