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Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 25 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that the things that happened in the past are now in the past and that his government is now focusing on the future of the state and making Himachal a "prosperous and richest state."

"Whatever happened has happened; now the government is working and let's focus on the future of the state. By 2032, we need to make Himachal Pradesh the most prosperous and richest state. People know everything. I extend greetings to everyone on the occasion of Holi," the Himachal CM told ANI.

A festival celebrated with as much fervour in the country will be marked on March 25. The festival is preceded by a ritual of lighting bonfires called Holika Dahan, signifying the burning of the demon Holika.

Earlier on Saturday, six Congress rebels and three independent MLAs joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

All the six rebels had voted for the BJP candidate during the Rajya Sabha polls leading to Harsh Mahajan's surprise win from the hill state. Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi lost the election.

The six Congress MLAs were disqualified by the Assembly Speaker for defying a whip to be present in the House during the state's budget session. The Election Commission has already announced bypolls on the six seats which will be held on June 1 along with polling on four Lok Sabha seats.

The Congress not only has to meet the BJP's challenge in the Lok Sabha polls but to focus on the six bypolls as the outcome is crucial for its survival.

After the 2022 Assembly elections, the Congress had 40 MLAs, while the BJP had 25 in the 68-member state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents.

With the six rebel MLAs disqualified, the strength of the house came down from 68 to 62 and the halfway mark is 32. With the loss of 6 MLAs the Congress now has 34 MLAs and the BJP with independents, has 28. The fortunes of the Congress will now rest on its ability to keep the rest of its flock together.

Himachal Pradesh has four Lok Sabha seats -- Hamirpur, Mandi, Shimla, and Kangra. The BJP had won all four seats in 2019.

The elections to the four Lok Sabha seats of Himachal Pradesh and bypolls to the six assembly constituencies that fell vacant with the disqualification of six rebel Congress MLAs will be held on June 1. (ANI)