Shimla, Mar 22
Three independent Members of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have tendered their resignation from the house, announcing their intention to join the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) following their support for BJP Rajya Sabha candidates in the February 27 election.
The three Independent MLAs are Hoshiyar Singh, a two-time member of the Assembly from Dehra. K L Thakur, Member of the assembly of Nalagarh and former BJP rebel and Ashish Sharma, Member of Assembly from Hamirpur.
According to Vidhan Sabha secretary Yashpal Sharma, the three Independent MLAs submitted their resignation, which will be presented before Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania for final decision.
In a statement to the media after resigning, the Independent MLAs expressed their intent to join the BJP and extend their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda. They cited discrimination and pressure from the current government as reasons for their resignation.
Ashish Sharma, one of the Independent MLAs, highlighted that an FIR was lodged against them by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu after they voted for BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election. Despite this, they stand firm on their decision and anticipate support from the people.
Furthermore, Ashish Sharma mentioned that the BJP has offered them assembly tickets, and they plan to contest the upcoming assembly elections under the BJP banner.
Hoshiyar Singh expressed regret that they couldn’t fulfill their electoral promises due to the circumstances, while K L Thakur emphasized their constant victimization by the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Government.
Responding to media inquiries, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu refuted claims of discrimination, stating that the Independent MLAs were not elected on the Congress ticket. He criticized their behaviour, highlighting their use of a helicopter and CRPF security cordon.
Sukhu asserted that his government never discriminated against them and urged them to serve their constituents rather than focusing on political maneuvers.
Noteworthy that the announcement of the resignation was also shared with media through a official spokesperson from BJP, indicating the backing of the saffron party with these independent MLAs. The move by these Independent MLAs marks a significant shift in the political landscape, with implications for both the state assembly and the BJP’s prospects in upcoming elections.
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