Himachal Pradesh Political Crisis: Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania to Decide Fate of 6 Rebel Congress MLAs Today at 11 AM

Amid political turmoil in Himachal Pradesh, state assembly speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania will decide the fate of six Congress rebel MLAs today, February 29.  The petition was filed by Congress MLA and parliamentary affairs Minister Harsh Wardhan Chauhan under anti-defection law for disqualification of the 6.

On Wednesday, Pathania said that the Parliamentary Affairs Minister has filed a petition against the six Congress MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, adding that the majority is still with the Congress Party. 

The Congress government in the state faces a crisis after six MLAs crossed sides and are learnt to be in touch with the BJP. The Congress has 40 MLAs, while the BJP has 25 in the 68-member state assembly. Independents hold the remaining three seats.

The Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly Kuldeep Singh Pathania likely to pronounce the order on the future of 6 defected Congress MLAs today around 11 am.

The petition was filed by Congress MLA and parliamentary affairs Minister Harsh Wardhan Chauhan under anti-defection law…

— ANI (@ANI) February 29, 2024

"The Parliamentary Affairs Minister has filed a petition against the six MLAs of the Congress party because the anti-defection law attracts proceedings against them. When the petition came to me, then I, as a Speaker, had to function like a tribunal. The hearing regarding the same is underway," said Speaker.

"And the majority is still with the Congress Party as even if the number is reduced to six, out of 40, 34 are left, and they (BJP) are 25. If the three independents are added, there are still 28," he added.