Nine ex-HP MLAs, including six from Congress, join BJP

New Delhi: Dealing the worst blow to the turmoil-ridden Congress government, six disqualified rebel MLAs --- all involved in the cross-voting in Rajya Sabha poll, joined the opposition BJP on Saturday citing reasons like ‘lack of self-respect and humiliations” in the hands of the current dispensation in Himachal Pradesh.

Three independents who had also voted for the BJP on February 27 Rajya Sabha were also inducted in the party. The independents had resigned from the memberships of the Assembly a day before. However before their resignations were accepted the MLAs, Hoshiar Singh (Dehra), Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur) and K L Thakur (Nalagarh) took a decision to don the saffron robes.

The entry of the six former Congress MLAs, who also include a former minister Sudhir Sharma and Sujanpur MLA –who shot into fame for defeating former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in 2017 Assembly poll despite he being a Chief Ministerial face of the BJP, marks a significant development for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The polling for four Lok Sabha seats- Hamirpur, Mandi, Kangra and Shimla is slated for June 1 simultaneously with the six Assembly constituencies of ousted MLAs. The seats of the independent MLAs are yet to be declared vacant as the speaker has not yet accepted their resignations.

Former chief Minister and BJP’s leader of opposition Jairam Thakur welcoming the entry of the Congress rebels said the party will give full respect and due honour to them keeping in view their senioritis and experience as former members of the state Assembly.

Thakur said MLAs supported the BJP in the Rajya Sabha election, itself reflecting “public anger” against the Congress.

The BJP expects a big boost to the Lok Sabha prospects as the party is confident of winning all the four seats in the state as it did in 2014 and 2019 due to the Modi factor. Secondly, the larger agenda of the BJP also quite focussed on dislodging Sukhu government as its strength in the 68-member House has been reduced to 34—one short of requisite majority. Thus, the congress must win at least one Assembly seat in the bypoll. Yet, the political stability of the government remains under threat.