Centre deploys CRPF guards outside residences of six disqualified Himachal Congress MLAs, may even check movement of family members
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TNR Desk
The Union Home Ministry has deployed six CRPF personnel each outside the residences of the six disqualified rebel Congress and three independent MLAs in Himachal Pradesh. The personnel of the paramilitary force have been operating in three shifts, ensuring two guards deployed round the clock.
The Congress rebels had cross-voted in favour of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the recent Rajya Sabha election, leading to ruling Congress nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s loss despite the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government having 40 MLAs of its own and also claiming the support of the three Independents.
The rebel and independent MLAs too have been under CRPF security for the past 18 days since the Rajya Sabha election, with their families too now receiving paramilitary protection. The deployment has prompted inquiries regarding whether the CRPF would monitor the movements of the MLAs’ family members akin to the own security protocol of the legislators. There is a likelihood that the six Congress rebels could defect to the BJP.
Protests had erupted against the six MLAs in their home towns following the cross-voting, leading to the possibility of clashes between protesters and supporters of the rebel legislators. Reports confirmed the presence of CRPF personnel at the residences of all the nine MLAs, with photographic evidence emerging from the homes of Chaitanya Sharma, Rajinder Rana, Ashish Sharma, KL Thakur, Hoshiar Singh and Davinder Kumar Bhutto.
On Wednesday, the six rebel Congress and the three Independents had relocated from Rishikesh to Gurugram, sparking discussions regarding potential relocation to Jaipur by the BJP. Prior to this, they spent 10 days in Panchkula and five days in Rishikesh. The Rajya Sabha election took place in Shimla on February 27. There was a tie between Mahajan and Singhvi at 34 votes each with the BJP nominee pipping the Congress rival through draw of lots.
The rebel MLAs were subsequently disqualified from the Assembly by the Speaker for allegedly defying party’s whip to remain present in the Vidhan Sabha for the passage of the budget. However, they have contested their disqualification in the Supreme Court.
