(Financial Express)
Traditional rivals, the BJP and the Congress are all set to vie for power in the hill state again. 68 constituencies with 337 candidates, including 62 MLAs and over a dozen former ministers are among those who are in the fray. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will come up against rival chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal. CM 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. The ruling Congress led by the chief minister and the BJP led with former chief minister Dhumal are contesting all 68 seats while the BSP is contesting 42 seats, followed by the CPI(M) 14, Swabhiman Party and Lok Gathbandhan Party six each and the CPI-3. The 12-days high-voltage campaign, which came to an end on Tuesday, saw over 450 rallies by star campaigners of the BJP and the Congress including Prime minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah who addressed seven and six rallies respectively.
