Himachal byelections: Bawa, Rajesh strong contenders for Congress ticket from Nalagarh, Dehra, party ponders over Hamirpur
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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu engaged in deliberations with the Congress high command in Delhi on Friday regarding the selection of candidates for the July 10 byelections in the Assembly constituencies of Dehra, Nalagarh and Hamirpur.
Sources said that the finalised list of party nominees could be unveiled within the next day or two. On Friday afternoon, Sukhu held discussions on potential candidates with Congress national general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik. Rajiv Shukla, the party’s state in-charge, is currently in the United States for the T20 Cricket World Cup and is expected to return shortly.
Hardeep Bawa from Nalagarh and Dr Rajesh Sharma from Dehra are emerging as strong contenders for the byelection. The contest for the Hamirpur constituency is notably intense, with former contestant Dr Pushpendra Verma, Kuldeep Pathania, President of the Kangra Central Cooperative Bank; Sunil Kumar Bittu, the Chief Minister’s political adviser; and former MLA Anita Verma all vying for the party ticket. The Congress is actively formulating a robust strategy to secure victory in this constituency, which holds significance as it is the Chief Minister’s home district.
The BJP has already announced its candidates for the byelections and they commenced their campaign from Friday. In response, the Congress is expediting the finalisation of its candidates and preparing to field them energetically in the upcoming electoral contest.
Discussions are also underway regarding discontented BJP leaders from the Hamirpur seat. However, local opposition within the Congress may hinder the prospect of integrating these leaders and granting them tickets. The party continues to assess the pros and cons of all political scenarios meticulously.
