Congress in power with majority But BJP wins sole Himachal Rajya Sabha seat, courtesy cross-voting; BJP demands CM Sukhu's resignation

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday clinched the only Rajya Sabha seat in the Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, defying the number arithmetic. BJP even after being deficient in strength, managed to get support through cross-voting from Congress MLAs. BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan won while Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost to the ‘political coup’. BJP has 25 MLAs in the 68-member assembly while Congress has 40 and in order to win the Rajya Sabha seat, one needed the support of at least 35 MLAs. Congress Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has claimed around five to six of their MLAs have been taken away to Haryana post cross-voting.

"The manner in which the counting has begun and Opposition leaders are threatening the polling officers again and again is not right for democracy...They had halted the counting for long. I urge the Himachal BJP unit's leaders - to have patience and not put pressure on people...CRPF and Haryana Police convoy have taken away 5-6 MLAs. I can say that the people who have gone away are being contacted by their families, I urge them to contact their families...There is no need to worry…,” said the Chief Minister.

BJP Himachal unit has called this victory an indication of an unavoidable no-confidence motion against the sitting Congress Chief Minister. "Despite having such a huge majority, Congress lost the Rajya Sabha seat. We are rightly saying that looking at this victory, the Himachal Pradesh CM should resign from his position...The MLAs have left him just within a year," said Himachal Pradesh LoP Jairam Thakur.

Congress has called it blatant poaching by BJP ahead of Lok Sabha elections. “This is a subversion of the democratic process. BJP wanted Congress mukt Bharat, they have become Congress ‘yukt’ BJP instead,” said Congress leader Supriya Shrinate.