Shimla, Feb 28: Harsh Mahajan, the BJP leader who won the lone Rajya Sabha seat of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday claimed that his party is going to form government in the state by ousting the ruling Congress on the ground of 'lacking majority' in the house.

Mahajan, while speaking to ANI on Wednesday said that several Congress legislatures are in touch with the BJP and the state is going to witness a change in the government.

"BJP is going to form its government in the state. Some more MLAs of Congress are in touch with us. I got phone calls from some of their MLAs and ministers...The situation is going to change in the next few hours and you will see BJP will form its govt soon...For the next 10-20 years, Congress is not going to come to power here..." Mahajan said.

He further said that the Congress is 'not going to last for too long' in Himachal.

"BJP is the game-changer. People are upset with the Sukhu government. All good leaders are joining BJP. It is a future party...There has been cross-voting. On today's date, Congress has lost its majority in the state. This Government is not going to last for long..." he added.

The Congress has 40 MLAs while the BJP has 25 in the 68-member state assembly, the Budget session of which begins today. The remaining three seats are held by independents.

The Budget Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly has been convened for today. The BJP is pressing for division voting on the passing of the Budget after it is introduced in the assembly. If the Congress is unable to see the Bugdet through, the government in the state will fall.

On Tuesday, the ruling Congress's Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost the Rajya Sabha election to the BJP's Harsh Mahajan despite the Congress enjoying a comfortable majority in the state assembly.
Both candidates secured 34 votes each in the 68-member state assembly.

Victory tilted towards Mahajan after a draw of lots was held as a tie-breaker.
Members of the BJP Legislative Party led by Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday met Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla.

After meeting Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Himachal Pradesh LoP Jairam Thakur said, "We have informed the Governor about what happened in the Assembly...In the Assembly, when we demanded division of vote during the financial bill, it was not allowed and the House was adjourned twice. The way Marshals behaved with our MLAs was not right. We have a doubt that the Vidhan Sabha Speaker can suspend BJP MLAs and some MLAs of Congress who voted for BJP in Rajya Sabha elections, can also be suspended. Currently, the Congress government has lost the right to stay in power..."

Jairam Thakur also said that the state government has lost the'moral right to stay in power' after it lost the Rajya Sabha elections on Tuesday.

"From the recent political point of view of the developments that have taken place in Himachal Pradesh, it can be said that the state government has lost the moral right to stay in power..." the BJP leader said.

(ANI)

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