Banking on discontent within the ruling Congress, BJP fields a Rajya Sabha candidate from Himachal Pradesh
The Hindu
BJP surprises by fielding Harsh Mahajan for Rajya Sabha against Congress candidate Abhishek Singhvi in Himachal Pradesh.
In a surprise move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday fielded Harsh Mahajan against Congress candidate Abhishek Singhvi for the lone Rajya Sabha berth from Himachal Pradesh, despite not having enough MLAs to win the seat.
In the 68-member Assembly, where 35 votes are needed to win the Rajya Sabha poll, the ruling Congress has 40 MLAs. The BJP has 25 MLAs, while there are three Independent MLAs.
On paper, given the electoral arithmetic, the Congress seems set for a comfortable victory. However, the BJP is banking on discontent among a section of Congress MLAs against their party high command for fielding Mr. Singhvi, an “outsider” in the State.
“There is high chance of cross-voting,” a senior leader said.
Mr. Singhvi — who handles most legal issues for the party and its top leadership, notably the Gandhi family — was chosen over former Union Minister Anand Sharma, a party veteran from Himachal Pradesh. This is the first time since 1952 that a non-Himachali has been nominated to the Upper House from the State.
A section of Congress MLAs pointed out that Mr. Singhvi had represented a private energy company in the Himachal Pradesh High Court last year, against the Congress government’s decision to impose a water cess on power and energy companies.
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