No independent MLA in assembly for first time in electoral history of Himachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI: For the first time in Himachal Pradesh's electoral history, there are no independent MLAs.
The Congress has strengthened its position with 40 seats after winning two out of three recent by-elections.
The state assembly will see a unique scenario with chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his wife Kamlesh Thakur, who won from the Dehra seat, both serving as legislators.
In the 2022 assembly elections, three independent candidates—Hoshiyar Singh from Dehra, Ashish Sharma from Hamirpur and K L Thakur from Nalagarh—were elected.
These MLAs, however, resigned and joined the BJP after voting for its candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election on February 27.
They formally resigned on March 22, with their resignation accepted by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on June 3, prompting the by-elections held on July 10.
All three ex-Independents received BJP tickets but only one managed to win, with Congress securing the remaining two seats.
Throughout the election campaign, chief minister Sukhu emphasized that the independent MLAs need not have resigned.
“They can support or oppose any party,” he said, questioning the need for re-elections just 15 months after their initial victories.
Independent MLAs have historically played a significant role in the state's politics.
Notable instances include sixteen independents being elected in 1967, while twelve were elected in 1957.
The years 1952, 1972, and 1993 saw eight, and subsequent years also recorded varying numbers of Independent MLAs.
In 1998, Romesh Dhawala, the lone independent MLA, became a kingmaker when both the Congress and the BJP-Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) combine had 32 members each in a 64-member house.
With elections in three tribal constituencies pending and the death of a BJP MLA necessitating a by-election, the assembly found itself in a unique situation.
Governor V S Ramadevi initially invited Congress leader Virbhadra Singh to form the government on March 6, 1998, with Dhawala as a cabinet minister.
However, Virbhadra Singh resigned on March 12 without facing a floor test, leading to suspended animation of the assembly as per the governor's decision.
During this period, Dhawala switched his support to the BJP-HVC combine, prompting the governor to invite the BJP to form the government. Prem Kumar Dhumal took oath as chief minister on March 24, with Dhawala continuing as a cabinet minister.
Later, the BJP-HVC alliance won all four seats in the subsequent by-elections, strengthening their position to 36 members and allowing them to complete their full term.
In the recent Rajya Sabha election, a similar situation arose where both candidates received 34 votes each. The support of the three Independents broke the tie, ultimately securing a win for the BJP candidate through a draw of lots.
The changing dynamics within Himachal Pradesh’s political landscape reflect a diminishing role for Independent candidates and a firmer grip by the two dominant parties, Congress and BJP.
This trend questions the future influence of independent MLAs in the state’s political scenario, as seen with the most recent developments where independent influence was crucial yet rapidly diminished post the by-elections.