Himachal Pradesh elections: AAP releases second list of 54 candidates
With this, Aam Aadmi Party has announced 58 of its 68 candidates for the assembly elections. The first list of four candidates was released on September 20
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its second list of 54 candidates for the elections to the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly on November 12.
Also read: Himachal poll: After first lists, revolt erupts in BJP, Congress
With this the party has announced a total of 58 candidates. The first list of four candidates was released on September 20.
After its spectacular victory in neighbouring Punjab in March, the AAP has set its sights on Himachal Pradesh, where politics has long been bipolar, dominated by the Congress and the BJP.
Hopeful that Punjab’s outcome would have an impact on Himachal Pradesh, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann and Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia have made several visits to the hill state this year. The party built its campaign around two key issues of health and education, drawing a good response from people.
Bereft of a strong cadre base and popular face, the AAP has relied on promising freebies and Kejriwal’s charisma.
However, the party’s campaign seems to have gone off-track lately, as the AAP leaders have turned full focus on Gujarat that is also set to go to the polls.
It’s not the first time that the AAP is trying its luck in Himachal Pradesh. The party contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the state but the performance of its candidates, former BJP MP Rajan Sushant and Kamal Kanta Batra, the mother of Kargil martyr Capt Vikram Batra among them, was dismal. The party stayed away from the 2017 assembly and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
No prominent face in second list
The AAP has fielded Nand Kishor Jaryal from Churah, Parkash Chand Bhardwaj from Bharmour (Scheduled Tribe), Shashi Kant from Chamba and Manish Sareen from Dalhousie.
In politically significant Kangra, the party has selected Manisha Kumari from Nurpur, Jagdish Bagga from Indora, Capt Baldev Raj from Jawali, Col Manish Dhiman from Dehra, Sahil Chauhan from Jaswan-Pragpur, Hoshiyar Singh from Jwalamukhi, Santosh Kumar from Jaisinghpur, Rajkumar Jaswal from Kangra, Abhishek Thakur from Shahpur, Kulwant Rana from Dharamshala and Sanjay Bhardwaj and Ravinder Singh Ravi from Sullah.
Anurag Prarthi will contest from Manali, Sher Singh Shera Negi from Kullu, Neeraj Saini from Banjar and Inder Paul from Anni in Kullu district.
Gita Nand Thakur fielded from CM’s Seraj
In chief minister Jai Ram Thakur’s home district of Mandi, the AAP has fielded Bhagwant Singh from Karsog, Pooja Thakur from Sundernagar, Jabna Chauhan from Nachan, Gita Nand Thakur from Seraj, Ravinder Paul Singh from Jogindernagar, Rakesh Mandhotra from Dharampur, Shyam Lal from Mandi and Tara Chand Bhatia from Balh.
Rajni Kaushal will contest from Bhoranj, Anil Rana from Sujanpur, Sushil Kumar Surroch from Barsar, Shanky Thukral from Nadaun, Ravinder Pal Singh Mann from Haroli, Rajiv Gautam from Una and Anil Mankotia from Kutlehar.
Sudhir Suman from Jhanduta, Rakesh Chopra from Ghumarwin, Aman Singh Chaudhary from Bilaspur and Narender Thakur from Naina Devi, Jeet Ram Sharma from Arki, Dharampal Chauhan from Nalagarh, Swaran Singh Saini from Doon, Anju Rathore from Solan, Harmel Singh from Kasauli, Sunil Sharma from Nahan, Lt Col Ram Krishan (retd) from Renukaji and Nathuram Chauhan from Shillai.
Chaman Rakesh Ajta will contest from Shimla, Prem Thakur from Shimla (Rural), Srikant Chauhan from Jubbal-Kotkhai, Uday Singh Dogra from Rampur, Ashwani Kumar from Rohru and Tarsem Negi from Kinnaur.
