Mallikarjun Kharge
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: With the Congress dispensation in Himachal Pradesh under threat following cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha election Tuesday, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP saying democracy would be 'destroyed' if the Centre's ruling party continues to bring down elected governments.
Congress nominee Abhishek Singhvi lost the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh, where his party is in power, to the BJP's Harsh Mahajan amid cross-voting in the election held in Shimla.
Kharge said they would challenge the election as both the candidates got 34 votes each and the decision was taken on the basis of a lottery.
"If the government breaks an elected government, what democracy is it. It has happened earlier in Karnataka, Manipur, Goa. When they do not get elected, they take measures, intimidate them and break the government. Is this democracy?" Kharge asked at a summit hosted by the TV9 Network.
"Why they are doing this, I fail to understand. If they continue to do this, they will end democracy and demolish democracy and put the Constitution aside," the Congress president said, adding that if they do such things by 'force', then this cannot continue like this in the country.
Asked about leaders quitting the party after having a long association with it, Kharge said, "Some people are power-hungry. They remained in the Congress for 30 to 40 years, because we were in power. What change of ideology happened in the Congress." The contest between Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Harsh Mahajan was tied at 34-34 votes after which the BJP leader was declared winner by draw of lots, officials said.
It is a major jolt for the Congress which has 40 MLAs in the 68-member state assembly and claimed support of the independents. The result made it clear that nine MLAs voted in favour of the BJP which was confident that Congress MLAs would exercise 'conscience vote'.
At present, the BJP has 25 MLAs in the state assembly.