Oppn BJP meet Guv seeking division of vote in Assembly 

Shimla, Feb 28

In hectic parley, Opposition BJP MLAs met with Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Partap Shukla at Rajbhavan early today.

The BJP legislative party leaders including former BJP president Satpal Singh Sati, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, senior members of legislative assembly Anil Sharma, Randhir Sharma, Hans Raj and others met Guv around 0730 hrs .

The party spokesperson said that BJP MLAs demanded division of vote in the house on the financial bill.

On Tuesday in a late night political high voltage drama six Congress MLAs including Rajinder Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Inderdut Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Bhuto were reported violating the assembly whip as they didn’t remain in the assembly during discussion on the financial bill and quorum of the house was not complete. Speaker adjourned the house after lunch amidst the drama and later assembly adjourned for day.

It was learnt from the Congress sources in the CLP that group of six members who indulged in cross voting in Rajyasabha election resulting defeat of party candidate were not present in house and in the Congress legislative party meeting on Tuesday.

Chief minister said that action would be taken against the six MLAs who did took part in the CLP meet of yesterday for violating the party Whip.

In the evening Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that BJP has kidnapped group of six MLAs and they were kept under tight security in a Panchkula guest house under the control of Haryana Police and Central Paramilitary forces.

The Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu also increased the security cordon in the Capital town as four reserved police battalions have been requisitioned from IRBN Junga, Gariwala, Sakoh and Pandoh to be deployed at Vidhan Sabha and in the capital Town.

It is apparent that after RS poll crossing voting yesterday the majority of 40 members Congress with external support from three independent MLA is now reduced to 34.

BJP wants to topple the Congress government on financial bill during last two days of the budget session and are seeking division of votes in the house and also met with Governor to demand division of vote but interestingly they did not bring a no confidence motion so far. Neither have they demanded a floor test up till.filing this report.

Reports surfacing suggest that BJP are intouch with six MLA and three Independent but they are still short of simple majority of 35 in the state assembly.

Now it remains to be seen how will the State government manage the left out 2 days of the  current assembly session. In the same discussions are to be held on the cut motions in the 32 heads of Government of Himachal Pradesh and also the 2024-25 Budget bill will have to be passed.

Stay tuned as more political turmoil is expected in the coming hours and days in the cool climes of Himachal Pradesh.