At 84, Vidya Stokes wins eighth time

At 84, she is the oldest winner in Himachal Pradesh and has won in the assembly elections for the eighth time. Congress veteran Vidya Stokes won Theog seat with a lead of 4,276 votes over her nearest rival, Rakesh Verma of the BJP.

At 84, she is the oldest winner in Himachal Pradesh and has won in the assembly elections for the eighth time.

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Congress veteran Vidya Stokes won Theog seat with a lead of 4,276 votes over her nearest rival, Rakesh Verma of the BJP.

"This was probably my last election. I am grateful to the people for reposing faith in me," Stokes told IANS over phone from her constituency.

Election officials said Stokes polled 21,478 votes whereas the BJP's candidate got 17,202 votes.
Stokes, a long-time Indian hockey administrator and the daughter-in-law of an American missionary, said: "I am a loyal Congress worker. I have never demanded any post from the party. Whatever the party offered me, I accepted it with grace."

On the race for chief minister's post, Stokes, who is known for her proximity to the Gandhi family, said: "This is for the party high command to decide."