Amid Tight Security, Haryana Congress MLAs Moved To Himachal Ahead Of Rajya Sabha Polls

Shimla: Around 31 legislators of the Indian National Congress from Haryana, who arrived at New Kufri near Shimla on Friday night, spent Saturday visiting nearby hill destinations amid tight security ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections in Haryana.

The MLAs travelled from New Kufri (Gallu) to the high-altitude areas between Kufri and Chail amid the scenic forests and hills, away from the ongoing political heat.

A few of them were also accompanied by family members.

During the day, the group visited a private hotel near Jeannet Ghat close to Chail for lunch. After spending around three and a half hours at the location, the legislators returned to New Kufri later in the evening.

The MLAs have been staying for the past 24 hours at a private hotel in New Kufri under heavy security arrangements, with Himachal Pradesh Police maintaining a tight security cordon and restricting media access.

The legislators are believed to have been brought to the hill resort as part of the Congress strategy ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections in Haryana scheduled for March 16, where two seats are at stake. One candidate has been fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party, another by the Congress, while an Independent candidate backed by the BJP has also entered the fray.

According to political sources, the BJP would require the support of around nine additional legislators to secure the second seat.

The Congress legislators are camping in the Congress-ruled state of Himachal Pradesh, reportedly under the supervision of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, to prevent possible cross-voting.

Sources indicated that the MLAs are likely to return to Chandigarh on Sunday.

The polling for the biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm.

The term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected.

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