Himachal Pradesh: In the election counting for Himachal Pradesh elections, Congress is seen leading on 38 seats while the BJP is seen ahead on 27 seats. Three independent candidates who left the BJP and turned rebel are leading in their constituencies, according to official trends.
According to reports, amid the counting drama, BJP has sent its national general secretary and Maharashtra leader Vinod Tawde to Shimla for an alleged attempt to lure the independent candidates to help the saffron party again form the government.
BJP's attempt for engagement with the rebel candidates is to overpower Congress' lead in the state.
The Himachal Pradesh Congress has therefore asked the MLAs to be shifted out of the state to try and fail the BJP's attempt at the operation as per some of the media reports. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera has clearly stated that they won't let BJP's Operation Lotus succeed in the state.
Condemning the BJP's alleged attempt at Operation Lotus in Himachal Pradesh, Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh said, "We will do everything to protect democracy as the BJP can do anything."