Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Himachal Pradesh, the H.P. State Legislative Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla at Raj Bhavan in Shimla. Earlier in the morning, the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Jairam Thakur had met the Governor, pointing out that the BJP has urged for the division of votes on the cut motions in the ongoing Budget Session.
The meetings come amid a buzz over the BJP bringing a motion of no-confidence in the Assembly against the Congress government in the State.
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After the meeting with the Governor, Mr. Thakur said, “We informed the Governor about whatever happened inside the State Assembly recently. During the Budget Session, discussions are held on cut motions, the concerned Ministers reply, after that voting takes place, and if the Opposition is not satisfied by the voice voting, they have the right to ask for the division of vote. But the Speaker ignored our plea and adjourned the House.”
The Congress has 40 MLAs while the BJP has 25 in the 68-member State Assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents.
Congress has lost majority in State: BJP’s Harsh Mahajan
On Tuesday, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania did not allow the division of votes in cut motions pertaining to the health department and “we have come here to appraise the Governor of the situation”, Mr. Thakur told reporters before meeting the governor.
He also alleged that the marshals misbehaved with and manhandled BJP members when they were going towards the chamber of the Speaker to register their protest. The BJP won the Rajya Sabha seat with its candidate Harsh Mahajan defeating Congress stalwart Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Mr. Mahajan said that the ruling Congress has lost the majority in Himachal Pradesh and the BJP would form a strong government. “Several Congress MLAs including Ministers have been calling me since morning, and the situation will change in hours. The BJP will form the government, be it today, tomorrow or day after, but eventually, it will be formed,” he said.
The voting was a tie with both the Congress and the BJP candidates getting 34 votes, indicating that six Congress MLAs voted against the party. The result was then declared on the basis of a draw of lots.
Following the result, sources in the Opposition party had said members of the BJP Legislature Party led by the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Mr. Thakur, would meet the Governor and demand a floor test, claiming that the Congress Government has lost majority in the House.
(With PTI inputs)
