TNR Desk
Even as the six rebel Congress MLAs have challenged in the Supreme Court the decision by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania to disqualify them from the Assembly, the Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for byelections in these six Vidhan Sabha segments.
At a press conference in Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announce the schedule for byelections in 26 Assembly seats across the country, including the six in Himachal Pradesh. The elections in these seats— Dharamshala, Lahaul-Spiti, Sujanpur, Badsar, Gagret and Kutlehar—will be held in the last of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on June 1.
The election to the four Lok Sabha seats from Himachal will also be held on June 1. The results for the byelections as well as the Lok Sabha elections will be announced on June 4.
According to the Election Commission, there will be byelections for 26 Assembly seats, which includes the six seats of Himachal Pradesh. Their elections will also be held as per the Lok Sabha election schedule.
As many as 2,93,875 first-time voters will participate in the elections in Himachal Pradesh. This surge in new voters underscores the significance of the electoral process. In all, the state has 55,68,171 voters, among them 28,12,976 male voters, 27,55,160 female voters and 35 voters identifying themselves as third gender.
To ensure maximum voter turnout, the State Election Department has been launching a special campaign to facilitate voter transportation to polling booths, alongside rigorous preparations for fair and transparent elections.
The Kangra parliamentary seat emerges as a battleground with BJP securing victory in seven out of the last nine elections. However, the Congress is making determined efforts to challenge the BJP’s stronghold, particularly in light of disqualified Congress MLA Sudhir Sharma’s rebellion. The Congress currently has MLAs in 10 of the 15 constituencies in Kangra district, including the disqualified MLA Sudhir Sharma from Dharamshala.
The Hamirpur parliamentary seat too witnesses an intense fervor due to the presence of formidable figure Anurag Thakur, who is a two-term Union Minister and the BJP candidate from the constituency for the fifth consecutive term. The BJP has won the seat eight times in a row.
From Congress’s stronghold in the past to BJP’s recent victories, the electoral dynamics in Shimla parliamentary seat reflect a diverse political landscape. As BJP secures victories with increasing margins, the upcoming elections in Shimla promise to be a test of political alliances and voter sentiment. In Mandi, sitting MP and Congress state president is again expected to take the plunge while the BJP too is still undecided on whom to field.
