Disqualified Himachal Congress MLAs, Independents likely to join BJP

Though there appears to be no immediate threat to the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP is looking to bring down his dispensation with the June 1 bypoll wins amid a view that it may draw more legislators of the ruling party into its fold

Several former MLAs of the Himachal Pradesh assembly are expected to join the BJP and contest the June byelections on its ticket, sources said on Saturday, as the political crisis plaguing the state continues to rumble on.

Three Independent MLAs KL Thakur from Nalagarh, Hoshiyar Singh from Dehra and Ashish Sharma from Hamirpur assembly constituency meeting Himachal Pradesh Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania (second from right) to tender their resignation from the assembly in Shimla on Friday. (ANI Photo)

Six rebel Congress MLAs -- Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto -- were disqualified from the assembly on February 29 for defying a party whip to be present in the House and vote in favour of the Himachal Pradesh government during a cut motion and the budget.

The Election Commission has announced byelections for their constituencies.

Three Independent MLAs -- Ashish Sharma, Hoshiyar Singh and KL Thakur -- submitted their resignations on Friday. Bypolls are expected to be held for their seats as well.

“We have submitted our resignations. We will join the BJP and contest the elections on its ticket,” Hoshiyar Singh later told reporters.

Last month, the Congress government led by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu found itself in a tight spot after the BJP’s Harsh Mahajan won the Rajya Sabha election for the state’s lone seat due to the support of the nine MLAs. Sukhu has been putting up a brave face since the defeat of Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha elections. Though there appears to be no immediate threat to his government, the BJP is looking to bring down his dispensation with the bypoll wins amid a view that it may draw more legislators of the ruling party into its fold.

With the disqualification of the six Congress MLAs, the strength of the ruling party came down from 39 to 33 in the now 62-member assembly. Its original strength was 68. The BJP has 25 members. The Speaker, who can vote only in the case of a tie during a floor test, is affiliated to the Congress.

The resignations of the three Independent MLAs have further reduced the assembly’s strength.