Himachal Assembly Elections: All eyes on key constituencies today

Himachal Pradesh has had an alternate government every five years since 1982. The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying hard to buck the trend, while the Congress is focused on anti-incumbency. New contender Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also aiming to expand its presence in the hill state in the hope of a strong showing in the elections.

There are some important assembly constituencies, which will be closely watched by the people during the voting to be held today on November 12. Counting of votes will take place on December 8.

Himachal Pradesh elections: A look at key constituencies and players

1) Seraj: BJP has fielded Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur against Chetram Thakur of Congress. Mahinder Rana is the CPI(M) candidate.

2) Haroli: In Una’s Haroli, BJP’s Ram Kumar is up against Congress leader Mukesh Agnihotri, who is contesting his fifth election from the same seat.

3) Nadaun: The BJP has fielded Vijay Agnihotri against former Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.

4) Dalhousie: This seat will see a triangular electoral contest. Congress has fielded Asha Kumari against BJP’s DS Thakur and AAP’s Manish Sareen.

5) Darrang: BJP’s Puran Chand Thakur will contest against senior Congress leader Kaul Singh Thakur and AAP candidate Sunita Thakur.

6) Shimla Rural: Vikramaditya Singh, son of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, is contesting from Shimla Rural, while the BJP has fielded Ravi Mehta from the seat.

7) Shimla Urban: BJP’s Sanjay Sood will fight against Congress’s Harish Janarth, AAP’s Chaman Rakesh Ajata and CPI(M)’s Tikendra Singh Pawar.

8) Nurpur: BJP has fielded a new candidate Ranveer Singh, who is fighting against Congress leader Ajay Mahajan and AAP candidate Manishi Kumari.

A total of 7,881 polling stations have been set up for this. Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections, Of these, Kangra district has the highest number of polling stations, i.e. 1,625, while Lahaul-Spiti has the least at 92, according to the Election Commission of India.

Several teams of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) comprising 6,700 personnel and 15 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies have been deployed to conduct free and fair assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh. In addition, around 50,000 government employees have been put on election duty and 25,000 police officers have also been deployed across the state. 800 personnel have also been deployed in teams of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF).

In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP got 44 seats out of the total 68 constituencies, while the Congress managed to win only 21 seats.

(With ANI inputs)