Need to protect Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs from 'poaching' bid: Baghel

As the Assembly poll trends showed the Congress was likely to get a majority in Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday said the party needed to protect its MLAs in the hill state from any possibility of horse-trading.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can "go to any level", he claimed.

The Congress surged ahead of the BJP on 39 of the 68 seats with one seat already under its belt, while the ruling party has won four seats and was ahead in 21 constituencies, as per trends from Himachal Pradesh where the counting of votes was underway.

 

Baghel, who was appointed as senior observer by the Congress for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, denied speculation that the newly elected party MLAs from Himachal Pradesh will be shifted to Chhattisgarh.

"The counting is still underway and we should wait for the final results. However, we were confident that we will form government in Himachal Pradesh and the early trends show we are heading towards victory there," Baghel told reporters.

The Chhattisgarh CM said he will go to the northern state later in the day.

Asked whether Congress MLAs from Himachal will be shifted to Raipur amid the possibility of horse-trading, Baghel said, "They will not be brought here. However, we have to protect our friends (MLAs) as the BJP can do anything. It can go to any level."

He claimed the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the 'B team' of the BJP.

Speaking about the Bhanupratappur bypoll in the state's Kanker district, in which Congress candidate Savitri Mandavi was leading, Baghel said, "It shows the people have faith in the (state) government and they have put their stamp of approval on works done by party MLA Manoj Singh Mandvi."

Manoj Singh Mandavi's death in October this year necessitated the by-election in Bhanupratappur Assembly seat.

Congress candidate Savitri Mandavi is the late MLA's wife.