CHANDIGARH: A day after six Congress MLAs cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election, BJP leaders met the Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla here today to seek his intervention to ensure the business would be done as per rules in the state assembly.
Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said that there was no need for the BJP to bring a no-confidence motion as the government would fall since the Congress did not have adequate MLAs when voting is done on the cut motion.
"We sought his intervention as the Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania will pass the Budget with voice vote rather than opting for voting on it. The Congress is frustrated now as their government is in trouble not because of us but because of their own deeds as it has lost the mandate," he said.
"As per our information, notices have been issued to Congress MLAs who voted for the BJP candidate, asking them to explain why action should not be taken against them under the anti-defection law," he added.
When asked about the number of congress MLAs in touch with the saffron party, Thakur said he cannot disclose it as of now but added that the congress has lost the mandate.
Thakur said his party wants Assembly Speaker to follow rules and after
the cut motion there should be a division of votes and not counting by voice vote.
"When we demanded division of votes during the financial bill it was
not allowed and the house was adjourned twice. After that the way the
marshals behaved with our MLAs which has never happened in the state assembly,’’ Thakur said.
Thakur termed the notice on members' disqualification "unconstitutional" as anti-defection law is not applicable in a Rajya Sabha election.
The BJP leaders had made it clear that it will not remain silent on the unfair and unethical behaviour of the speaker in conducting the assembly. As of now, the BJP is banking on the division of votes on the cut motion in the assembly.
Sources said the endeavour of the government will now be to adjourn the assembly sine die which can be done only after the budget for 2024-25, presented by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on February 17, is passed. Thus, now the survival of the Congress government will depend on the voting on the cut motion.
Meanwhile, the six Congress legislators who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election on Tuesday and were staying at a five star hotel at Panchkula in Haryana.
Harsh Mahajan who won the Rajya Sabha seat from Himachal Pradesh defeating Congress stalwart Abhishek Manu Singhvi claimed that the BJP is going to form government in the state. Several Congress MLAs are in touch with the saffron party, he added.
The Rajya Sabha polls ended in a tie with both the Congress and the BJP candidates getting 34 votes, indicating that six Congress MLAs and three independents voted against the party. The result was then declared on the basis of a draw of lots.
(With inputs from PTI)
