Himachal crisis: Pressure tactics will not save government, say Independent MLAs

Himachal crisis: Pressure tactics will not save government, say Independent MLAs

Pressure tactics such as targeting businesses of Independent MLAs and their families is a futile exercise and will not save the government, said two Independents who voted against Congress in the recent Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh.

Speaking to PTI on Sunday, K L Thakur, Independent MLA from Nalagarh, said, "It is unfortunate that the chief minister has stooped to such a level and this kind of politics has never been seen in Himachal Pradesh." "I have been a former BJP legislator and had been associated with the party for years. I voted as per my ideology," he said.

The Independent MLAs — K L Thakur (Nalagarh), Hoshiyar Singh (Dehra) annd Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur), were among the nine MLAs who voted in favour of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election for the lone seat from the state on August 27.

The MLAs voting for the Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi failed to make it past the half-way mark in 68-member House.

The Independent MLAs in the state have alleged that raids were conducted at their business firms and Congress workers burnt their effigies.

They have also alleged that the road leading to house of Congress rebel and MLA Lahaul and Spiti Ravi Thakur was closed after he cross-voted against his party.

Pressure tactics of hitting businesses of Independent MLAs and their families is a futile exercise and will not save the government, the Nalagarh MLA said.

A wrong precedent is being set by burning effigies of MLAs and raiding their business firms. The chief minister should not adopt a vindictive attitude and "refrain from acting out of vengeance", Hoshiyar Singh, Independent MLA from Dehra told PTI.

"We have our right to give vote and have voted in the interest of the state", he said and condemned the actions of the Congress government.

"Not even a single work was done in my assembly segment in the past one year and I had stopped giving the demi official (DO) notes for the past eight months," Singh added.

Following the disqualification of the rebel Congress MLAs, the effective strength of the House has reduced from 68 to 62 while the number of Congress MLAs has shrunk from 40 to 34.

The BJP has 25 MLAs and the remaining three are Independents.