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HP bypolls: Congress election committee to meet in October 2
The HP Congress election committee comprises Kuldeep Singh Rathore, former state chief and MP Viplove Thakur, Kaul Singh Thakur, Kuldeep Kumar, and leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri among others
With the election commission setting the ball rolling for the bypolls for three assembly segments and one parliamentary seat in Himachal, political parties across the state have begun preparations. The state election committee of the Congress will meet on October 2 to finalise its strategy for the polls.
“We will meet shortly to finalise the candidates for the three assembly and one parliamentary seat,” said HP Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore. The Congress is likely to field former CM Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh from Mandi seat that fell vacant after the death of MP Ramswaroop Sharma. Pratibha was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2004 from Mandi and again in 2013.
Ramswaroop had defeated Pratibha in 2014 elections and won against Congress’ Ashray Sharma in 2017. She is being seen as the strongest candidate from Mandi. Pratibha and her son, Shimla (Rural) MLA, had recently met AICC general secretary organisation KC Venugopal in Delhi. Ashray, grandson of former Union minister Sukhram, too is vying for a ticket. One section of the party had persuaded senior Congress leader and former health minister Kaul Singh Thakur to contest elections, but so far he has shown reluctance. Kullu MLA Sunder Thakur’s name had cropped up too.
The Congress’ poll panel comprises Kuldeep Singh Rathore, former state chief and MP Viplove Thakur, Kaul Singh Thakur, Kuldeep Kumar, leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, former ministers Sudhir Sharma, GS Bali and deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma besides Asha Kumari, Dhani Ram Shandhil, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Ram Lal Thakur, Rajesh Dharmani, Harsh Mahajan and Rajneesh Kimta.
The panel will deliberate on names for Arki seat that was earlier represented by Virbhadra Singh. The party is likely to make its choice between local leaders Sanjay Awasthi and Rajender Thakur. HP’s Mahila Congress chief Jenab Chandel is also a contender. Awasthi is being backed by a strong section of Congress frontline leaders, including former state party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.
From Jubbal and Kotkhai, former CPS Rohit Thakur is the lone contender so far. Grandson of former CM Ram Lal Thakur, Rohit was first elected in 2003. He was re-elected in 2012 and was later appointed CPS. He lost to former horticulture minister Narendra Bragta in 2017.
On the Fatehpur seat, Bhawani Singh Pathania, son of former power minister Sujan Singh Pathania, is the lone contender though some locals had already opposed his candidature. Both Bhawani and Rohit had been campaigning for long now.
