Himachal Assembly: 15 BJP MLAs including Jairam Thakur expelled for allegedly shouting slogans, misconduct. Details here

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on 28 February suspended 15 BJP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur for allegedly shouting slogans and misconduct in the Chamber of Speaker.

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Apart from Thakur, the other suspended MLAs are Vipin Singh Parmar, Randheer Sharma, Lokender Kumar, Vinod Kumar, Hans Raj, Janak Raj, Balbir Verma, Trilok Jamwal, Surender Shori, Deep Raj, Puran Thakur, Inder Singh Gandhi, Dileep Thakur and Inder Singh Gandhi.

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Meanwhile, this suspension of MLAs also came a day after BJP won the state's lone Rajya Sabha seat with its candidate Harsh Mahajan defeating Congress stalwart Abhishek Manu Singhvi due to cross-voting. This was a major setback for the Congress party, which is currently ruling the state. The Congress has 40 MLAs in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly and the BJP has only 25.

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Despite not having the numbers, the BJP won the Shimla seat in the Rajya Sabha polls. The saffron party secured victory following cross-voting and a draw of lots after the contest was tied at 34-34 votes.

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Earlier in the day, members of the BJP Legislative Party led by Jai Ram Thakur met Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla. After meeting Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Himachal Pradesh LoP Jairam Thakur said, "We have informed the Governor about what happened in the Assembly...In the Assembly, when we demanded division of vote during the financial bill, it was not allowed and the House was adjourned twice. The way Marshals behaved with our MLAs was not right. We have a doubt that the Vidhan Sabha Speaker can suspend BJP MLAs and some MLAs of Congress who voted for BJP in Rajya Sabha elections, can also be suspended. Currently, the Congress government has lost the right to stay in power..."

He also added that the state government has lost the 'moral right to stay in power' after it lost the Rajya Sabha elections.

(With inputs from agencies)