Congress expels 30 leaders for six years ahead of Himachal Pradesh election results; here's why

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Pratibha Singh expelled the functionaries from the party's primary membership with immediate effect. 

The Congress party in Himachal Pradesh expelled its 30 office-bearers of the Chopal block committee for anti-party activities on Wednesday, a day before the counting of votes in the state's assembly election, which was held last month.

Acting on a resolution passed by the block committee, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Pratibha Singh immediately expelled the functionaries from the party's primary membership.

Amongst the 30 functionaries, Vice president Dhiren Singh Chauhan and Santosh Dogra were expelled. According to the Himachal Pradesh exit polls 2022, announced on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party will win 24-41 seats, and the Congress will settle at 20-40. The majority mark is 35 seats.

The vote will be counted on December 8, 2022, along with Gujarat. However, the BJP and Congress have claimed they will win more than 40 of the 68 available seats.

President of the Himachal Pradesh BJP, Suresh Kashyap, said that the heavy voting by women electorate, with 76.61 per cent of the vote, indicate that the saffron party would form the state's government once more. 

Congress general secretary Naresh Chauhan also predicted that the grand-old party would win a majority in the assembly and that the results would be much better than predicted by exit polls.

While talking to the media, he said, "Let's wait for two days until the results are out. The scenario will be clear, and Congress would win with more than 40 seats." 

Himachal Pradesh's Assembly Elections were held in a single phase on November 12, 2022. The three major political parties competing are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian National Congress, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Votes will be counted on December 8, 2022, and the results will be announced.