(PTI)
An intense electoral battle is on the cards in the hills and valleys of Himachal Pradesh with traditional rivals, the Congress and the BJP locking horns in all 68 constituencies and 62 MLAs in the fray. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, 10 ministers, eight Chief Parliamentary secretaries, Deputy Speaker Jagat Singh Negi, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and over a dozen former ministers are among those who have thrown their hat in the ring. Speaker BBL Butail opted out in favour of his son Ashish Kumar from Palampur while nomination papers of senior-most minister Vidya Stokes was rejected.
At present, the Congress and the BJP have 35 and 28 MLAs respectively in the 68-member House besides four independents while one seat is vacant. Of the four Independents Karnesh Jang and Pawan Kajal have been given Congress tickets from Paonta Sahib and Kangra constituencies while the BJP has given tickets to Balbir Verma from Chopal. Manohar Dhiman, who won as an Independent from Indora was denied ticked by the BJP and is not in the fray.
Two-time MLAs Gobind Sharma and B K Chauhan from Arki and Chamba, veteran BJP and five-time MLA from Jhandutta Rikhi Ran Kaundal and Anil Dhiman, who won the by-election from Bhoranj in April this year, were denied BJP tickets. B K Chauhan is in the fray as rebel from Chamba.
