Rajya Sabha Election 2024: Congress seeks disqualification of 6 MLAs who cross-voted, say sources

Rajya Sabha Election 2024: The Congress party has moved Himachal Pradesh Speaker seeking disqualification of six rebel MLAs who cross-voted on Tuesday, according to sources.

The move comes a day after these six MLAs cross-voted and helped BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan win a Rajya Sabha seat from the hill state. 

Congress is in power in Himachal Pradesh and has 40 MLAs, besides the support of three independent MLAs, in the 68-member house. Despite the numbers, the Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost the Rajya Sabha seat. 

Singhvi conceded his defeat and 'thanked' the MLAs who cross-voted leading to the victory of Harsh Mahajan. Victory tilted towards Mahajan after a draw of lots was held as a tie-breaker.

"I would also like to thank the nine persons (MLAs) because they have taught me a lot about human nature, its fickleness or its resoluteness. They supped with us...So, I think we are bad judges of human character, they are obviously better judges of human character," he said.

The cross-voting by the MLAs has left the state government in crisis with the Opposition BJP claiming that the Congress government has lost the majority in the house.

Seeking disqualification of rebel MLAs is seen as ruling party's move to save its government. 

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday amid political upheavals in the state.

The development comes amid a buzz over the BJP bringing a motion of no-confidence in the assembly against the Congress government in the state during the state's Budget Session which is set to begin today.

The Congress has 40 MLAs while the BJP has 25 in the 68-member Himachal Pradesh state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents.