Whip is not issued for Rajya Sabha elections, says Himachal LoP Jairam Thakur

"As the dates for Rajya Sabha polls are released and BJP has also announced its candidates, Congress is doing things that normally should not be done. The whip is not issued in the Rajya Sabha, this is a clear point from the Election Commission," Thakur said speaking to ANI on Monday.

The former Chief Minister said that whips are issued to ensure party discipline inside the House and the Congress party is using this only to pressurise their leaders to vote for their own party's candidate and not to engage in cross-voting.

"Whip is issued for activities inside the House, whether it is a Financial Bill or floor test. All of this is just to pressure Congress leaders to vote for their candidates. They are being threatened that if they do not do so their membership in the Vidhan Sabha will cease to exist," Thakur said.

Thakur said that the Bharatiya Janata Party has sent a representation to the Election Commission accusing the Congress of pressurising its members to vote for their party's candidate.

"We have given representation to the Chief Election Commission through the CEO from Himachal from our party president, party Rajya Sabha candidate, Harsh Mahajan... In that, we have said that their should be an end to this politics of pressure so that all members vote independently as per their conscience," Thakur said.

The Congress has issued a whip for all its legislators to remain present for voting on Tuesday. February 27 is the last day of the filing of nominations to the Upper House.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections from Himachal Pradesh. BJP has fielded Harsh Mahajan, a close aide of six-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh against Singhvi. Mahajan switched to the BJP ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. (ANI)