Shimla, May 17
With the final date for withdrawal of nominations passed, 62 candidates are confirmed for the four parliamentary constituencies and six assembly bye-elections in Himachal Pradesh.
According to an electoral officer, no candidates withdrew in the Hamirpur and Mandi parliamentary constituencies, leaving 12 and 10 contestants, respectively. In Kangra, Sanjeev Guleria of the All India Forward Bloc withdrew, reducing the field to 10 candidates. In Shimla, independents Robet Kumar from Janata Congress and Kundan Lal Kashyap pulled out, leaving five candidates in contention.
In the assembly bye-elections, seven candidates withdrew across various constituencies. In Gagret, independents Ravinder Kumar and Mohit Bagga withdrew, leaving five candidates. Sujanpur saw independents Anita Kumari and Rajinder Singh Verma withdraw, leaving six candidates. No withdrawals occurred in Barsar, Dharamshala, Kutlehar, and Lahaul Spiti, meaning all nominated candidates will contest.
For the Lok Sabha elections, a total of 37 candidates remain: 13 in Hamirpur, 10 each in Mandi and Kangra, and five in Shimla. In the assembly bye-elections, 25 candidates are left: five in Gagret, six in Sujanpur, four each in Lahaul Spiti and Dharamshala, and three each in Barsar and Kutlehar.
Major political parties like the Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Swatantra Parivar Party are fielding four candidates each for the parliamentary seats. Additionally, numerous independent candidates add to the diverse contest.
As the elections approach, candidates are intensifying their campaigns, aiming to win voter support in their respective areas. The finalization of the candidate list has set the stage for a competitive electoral battle across Himachal Pradesh.
Voters will cast their ballots on June 1 to decide their representatives. Currently, the BJP holds three of the four parliamentary seats, with Congress holding one. In the assembly constituencies, Congress won all six seats in the 2022 elections.
With the battle lines drawn, Himachal Pradesh is gearing up for a fierce contest as candidates from various parties and independents vie for electoral success.
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