Shimla: Amid opposition BJP’s assertion that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has lost majority in the House, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu claimed on Tuesday that the CRPF and Haryana Police convoy took away five-six legislators.
“I can say that the people who have gone away are being contacted by their families… I urge them to contact their families. There is no need to worry,” he told the media here.
Chief Minister Sukhu said the manner in which the counting has begun with opposition leaders threatening the polling officers again and again is not right for democracy.
“They had halted the counting for long. I urge the Himachal BJP unit’s leaders to have patience, don’t put pressure on people,” Chief Minister Sukhu added.
Amid reports of cross-voting for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in the state, BJP’s leader of opposition and former CM Jai Ram Thakur said, “The Budget will be passed on Wednesday. We will discuss the Budget and then we will see the situation. But I can see that the government has lost majority.”
Asked if the state BJP will demand a floor test, Jai Ram Thakur claimed that many Congress legislators are in touch with them.
Media reports said that nine Congress MLAs may have cross-voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha poll.
Harsh Mahajan, BJP’s Rajya Sabha candidate, said, “The statement of the Congress seems to show that they have lost their mind. Their government has failed, so their MLAs and people are upset with them.”
The Congress has a comfortable majority of 40 in the 68-member House, while the BJP has 25 legislators. There are three Independent legislators, comprising two BJP rebels and one fro the Congress, who have indicated support for the ruling party.
–IANS