Candidates announced by BJP and Congress for Himachal Pradesh byelections

SHIMLA: For the Himachal Pradesh byelections on two assembly seats of Dharamshala and Pachhad (SC), both BJP and Congress have finalized their candidates. On Dharamshala seat, both BJP and Congress have fielded candidates from Gaddi community who have a dominant presence in the constituency. Against Vijay Inder Karan of Congress, BJP has fielded Vishal Nehria.Interestingly both candidates are contesting their first assembly election.
On Pachhad seat while Congress has relied on old war horse Gangu Ram Musafir, BJP has opted to field newcomer Reena Kashyap against him.
BJP candidate Vishal Nehria at present is Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha state secretary while Reena Kashyap has remained Zila Parishad member once and is also the co-convener of BJP Mahila Morcha’s IT Cell.
BJP state president Satpal Singh Satti said that party had won both assembly seats of Dharamshala and Pachhad in 2017 assembly election and in the coming byelections party would once again win these seats with thumping majority.
While BJP announced its candidates on Sunday, Congress had finalized and declared candidates on Saturday. Earlier it was being expected that Congress would field senior party leader and former minister Sudhir Sharma from Dharamshala but after he showed reluctance to contest, party decided to field young Gaddi leader Vijay Inder Karan.
Congress candidate from Pachhad, Gangu Ram Musfair has remained assembly speaker in the past but he has lost last two assembly elections. From 1982 to 2007, Musafir had continuously represented this seat in the state assembly.
This time around 82,000 voters are registered in Dharamshala assembly constituency while in Pachhad assembly constituency around 73,000 voters are registered.
All candidates would file their nominations on Monday in the presence of senior leaders from both parties. While BJP is having the advantage of being in power, winning byelections is going to be a challenge for the opposition Congress party as in the parliamentary elections it had failed to open its account in the state for consecutive second time.
While chief minister Jai Ram Thakur has already deployed his ministers along with senior party leaders in both the assembly constituencies, Congress is still grappling with the problem of factionalism especially on Dharamshala seat.