Fearing poaching, Congress MLAs in Himachal to be shifted

After crossing the halfway mark in Himachal Pradesh, the Congress leadership on Thursday deputed senior leaders to keep the flock together amid poaching fears.

It also plans to shift the MLAs to Rajasthan via Chandigarh.

According to sources, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is personally monitoring the situation. She has deputed Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for the purpose, while state in-charge Rajeev Shukla is in the process of talking to each elected MLA personally.

The Congress on Thursday was leading the initial vote count in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls. It crossed the halfway mark and was ahead in 38 seats at around 11.40 a.m.

The ruling BJP was leading in 33 seats earlier but now leads in 21 and has won four seats.

Read our live blog | Himachal Pradesh Election Constituency-wise Result Live: Cong's Baghel, Hooda, Shukla to head to HP as party likely to get majority

The independents were leading in three constituencies.

Independents, all BJP rebels, are Hoshiyar Singh from Dehra, Hiteshwar Singh from Banjar in Kullu and Ashish in Hamirpur Sadar, once the stronghold of two-time Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.