In the wake of the disqualification of six rebel Congress MLAs, the political landscape in the state Assembly has intensified as both the Congress and BJP strategize ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Despite earlier speculation surrounding potential candidates from both parties, it appears unlikely that either will field any MLA for the upcoming elections.
The Election Commission of India has announced the elections for six Assembly segments vacated due to the disqualification of the rebels, scheduled alongside the Lok Sabha polls. However, the fate of the disqualified MLAs remains uncertain pending a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for Monday, March 18.
The disqualified MLAs, including Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chaitanya Sharma, Davinder Kumar Bhutto, Sudhir Sharma, and Ravi Thakur, were removed from their positions by the Speaker of the HP Assembly for defying party directives during the passage of the budget, reducing the Assembly's strength to 62 members.
During the recent Rajya Sabha poll, Independent and rebel Congress MLAs aligned with BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan, indicating BJP's intent to challenge the Congress government. However, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has skillfully navigated the political turbulence, preventing the government's collapse.
Sources suggest that neither party is willing to risk fielding an MLA for the Lok Sabha elections, prioritizing stability in the state Assembly. Potential candidates previously rumored include RS Bali for Kangra Lok Sabha seat from Congress and Jai Ram Thakur for Mandi Lok Sabha seat from BJP, but their candidature remains uncertain.
A Congress leader close to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu emphasized the party's focus on winning back the vacated Assembly seats to ensure government stability. The Congress may consider introducing new faces for the Lok Sabha elections amidst the internal crisis.
Meanwhile, the BJP has already announced candidates for two seats, Anurag Thakur in Hamirpur and Suresh Kashyap in Shimla (reserved), with no indication of fielding any MLA for the remaining seats. The BJP aims to strengthen its position in the Assembly without risking potential opportunities to topple the government.
While the BJP appears confident in its initial preparations for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress acknowledges the need for rigorous ground-level campaigning. Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, condemned BJP's attempts to destabilize the elected government, expressing confidence in the electorate's response during the polls.
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