The FIR has struck at the heart of the state's political establishment, implicating the fathers of Ashish Sharma, an independent MLA from Hamirpur, and Chaitanya Sharma, a disqualified Congress MLA from Gagret in electoral offences.
The allegations accused the two fathers of electoral malpractices during the recent Rajya Sabha elections.
The FIR, lodged by Bhuvneshwar Gaur, Congress MLA from Manali, Sanjay Awasthy, CPS and a Congress MLA from Arki, both confidants of the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Both Ashish Sharma and Chaitanya Sharma, along with five of other disqualified Congress rebels and two independents, voted against the official Congress candidate, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, during the Rajya Sabha polls in which BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan won the seat by a lot of draw as both candidates secured 34 votes each.
Despite the Congress possessing a significant majority, the underhanded maneuvering of these alleged rebels threatened to destabilize the Sukhu Government.
The accused MLAs, including the disqualified five others have reportedly absconded to undisclosed locations in Uttarakhand, a strategic move by BJP to flex its muscles as soon as the Supreme Court decided the petition challenging their disqualifications by the HP Speaker under anti-defection law.
The disqualified MLAs have challenged their disqualification in the Supreme Court, seeking redress.
However, with the FIR adding a new dimension to political tussle, the political battlefield in Himachal Pradesh has transformed into a battleground of accusations and recriminations.
The FIR has added a new political narrative, thrusting the families of politicians into the spotlight of scrutiny.
