Himachal bylections: Voting underway in three assembly constituencies

Voter turnout in Dehra, Nalagarh, and Hamirpur assembly constituencies were 46.47%, 51.59% and 47.05%, respectively, till 1pm; results on July 13.

Voting is underway as byelections are being held in the three assembly constituencies of Dehra, Hamirpur and Nalagarh on Wednesday to decide the fate of 13 candidates, including Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s wife Kamlesh Thakur.

Residents of Nalagarh showing their voter identity cards before voting in the byelection in Solan district on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

More than 2.55 lakh voters are eligible to vote in the 315 polling stations set up in the three assembly segments. Voting started at 7am at the 315 polling stations and by 1pm, the voter turnout percentages in Dehra, Nalagarh, and Hamirpur were 46.47%, 51.59% and 47.05%, respectively.

Results for all three seats will be announced on July 13.

Earlier, at 9am, the voter turnout was 15.71%, 16.48%, and 15.70% in Hamirpur, Nalagarh, and Dehra, respectively.

The seats fell vacant after the three Independent legislators, Hoshiyar Singh (Dehra), Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur) and KL Thakur (Nalagarh), who had voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections held on February 27, resigned from the House on March 22.

The stakes are high for chief minister Sukhu, who spearheaded the campaign for Congress candidate Kamlesh Thakur, who is contesting from Dehra.

Hamirpur BJP candidate Ashish Sharma with his wife after voting on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

Making her electoral debut, Thakur takes on two-time former Independent legislator Hoshiyar Singh. The latter has secured wins from the seat in the last two assembly elections, defeating candidates from both the Congress and the BJP.

In Hamirpur, the Congress has entrusted faith in Pushpinder Verma to take on BJP’s Ashish Sharma, who had defeated him by 12,000 votes in the 2022 assembly elections.

Congress candidate Hardeep Singh Bawa with his family and supporters in Nalagarh on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

Nalagarh assembly constituency is witnessing a three-way contest. The Congress has tasked Indian National Trade Union Congress’ (INTUC) state unit president Hardeep Singh Bawa with wresting the seat from KL Thakur, who is now contesting as the BJP pick. Harpreet Singh, son of three-time BJP MLA Harinarayan Saini, defied the party to contest the elections as an Independent.