Himachal Pradesh Elections 2022: Congress announces 46 candidates, BJP yet to release its list

The Congress on Tuesday released its first list of 46 candidates for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held on November 12. 

Congress Legislature Party leader Mukesh Agnihotri has been fielded from the Haroli assembly seat and former minister Asha Kumari from her Dalhousie seat.

The party has nominated former state Congress chiefs Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and Kuldeep Singh Rathore from Nadaun and Theog, respectively.

The party has fielded all its sitting MLAs, including former chief minister Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya Singh from the Shimla Rural constituency.

Congress releases the first list of 46 candidates for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, which are to be held on November 12th. pic.twitter.com/O6ssJYyiEV — ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2022

However, the first list of candidates did not include the name of state Congress chief Pratibha Singh. She is the sitting MP from Mandi and the wife of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh.

Former BJP leader Dyal Pyari, who switched over to the Congress a few days ago, has been fielded from the Pachhad (SC) seat.

Col Dhani Ram Shandil will contest from his Solan seat and Harshwardhan Singh Chauhan from his Shillai assembly seat. Former state minister and former state party chief Kaul Singh Thakur will contest from the Darang assembly seat.

Trying its luck for the first time in the state, the Aam Aadmi Party has declared candidates for four seats. It may declare its candidates for the remaining 64 seats by Thursday, said AAP state incharge and Punjab minister Harjot Bains. 

The BJP is yet to release its list of candidates. The newly constituted Central Election Committee of the BJP met for the first time today to finalise its list of candidates. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, and party chief J P Nadda among others.