New Legislators Take Oath in Himachal Pradesh Assembly Amid Political Tug-of-War

Six newly elected legislators were sworn in as members of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly. The Congress triumphed in four out of six bypolls, while the BJP secured two seats. Issues of connectivity, health, and sustainable tourism were highlighted, shaping the political dynamics of the state assembly.

Six newly elected legislators were sworn in as members of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday. Former minister and BJP MLA from Dharamshala, Sudhir Sharma, led the oath-taking ceremony, followed by Congress MLA Anuradha Rana from Lahaul and Spiti.

Other newcomers included Congress MLA from Sujanpur, Captain Ranjit Singh, BJP MLA from Barsar, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Congress MLA from Gagret, Rakesh Kalia, and Congress MLA from Kutlehar, Vivek Sharma.

Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania extended congratulations, expressing hope the new MLAs would focus on state and public welfare issues. The Congress secured victory in four out of the six bypolls held on June 1, while the BJP took two seats.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu emphasized the importance of the by-election for the stability of the Congress government, which now holds 38 MLAs in the 65-member House. He mentioned the need for just one more seat to achieve a full majority.

Leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, stated that the BJP is analyzing the reasons behind the defeat of four of its MLAs in the assembly bypolls despite winning four Lok Sabha seats and two assembly bypolls.

Three of the new legislators—Singh, Sharma, and Rana—are newcomers to the assembly. Notably, Rana is the first woman to contest in Lahaul and Spiti in 52 years and the second to ever win the assembly segment. Her priorities include enhancing connectivity, health facilities, and promoting sustainable tourism.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)