In a recent development in Himachal Pradesh politics, three members of the legislative assembly were administered the oath of office on Monday. The induction of Kamlesh Thakur, Hardeep Singh Bawa and Ashish Sharma as elected representatives brings the total strength of the House to 68 members.
Kamlesh Thakur and Hardeep Singh Bawa won the by-elections as Congress candidates from Dehra and Nalagarh constituencies respectively. Ashish Sharma retained the Hamirpur seat fighting on a BJP ticket. With their inclusion, the Congress tally in the assembly has risen to 40 while the BJP has 28 members.
The oath ceremony was conducted by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania inside the House chambers. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur were present on the occasion among other members. The by-polls for the three seats were necessitated after three independent MLAs resigned from their posts earlier this year.
Addressing the media after the event, CM Sukhu expressed concern over alleged attempts by the Opposition to destabilize his newly elected government. However, Leader of Opposition Thakur countered the charge by claiming poll code violations during the by-election process. Both sides hope to move beyond political sparring and prioritize developmental goals for the people of the state.
With all 68 seats now filled, the House stands complete for legislative proceedings. History was also made with CM Sukhu and his wife Kamlesh Thakur now elected representatives from the same Assembly. The new legislators take charge at a critical time as the state gears up for the next phase of governance and growth.
