The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are locked in a neck-to-neck fight in the state with the Himachal Pradesh result trends changing every minute and Congress having good chances of taking the cake.
While the grand old party did not have any pre-poll face, several names were already doing the rounds, leaving the Congress with a herculean task of selecting its face for the top post in the state if it were to defeat the BJP. She defeats
The Congress chief ministerial candidate had visited Delhi to meet the party high command just a few days ago when he noticed that the poll trends were blowing in his direction. Those going to Delhi include Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, President of Campaign Committee Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and State President Pratibha Singh. There were some other leaders also who had gone to Delhi. A look at the main contenders of the Congress for the post of Chief Minister in Himachal
Pratibha Singh
One of the frontrunners in the race for the chief minister’s post is Himachal Pradesh Congress President Pratibha Singh, who is also the wife of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh.
Significantly, Pratibha Singh, MP from Mandi Lok Sabha seat, is not contesting the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh. However, she may stake claim for the top post in the state as the Congress used the face of Virbhadra Singh throughout its campaign. Till the writing of this report, BJP was leading in the assembly constituency from this area.
Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu
Sukhwinder Singh is the former state president and head of the campaign committee this time. If sources are to be believed, Sukhu’s choice Rahul Gandhi Despite differences with Virbhadra Singh, Pratibha Singh may strongly oppose his appointment as CM. Sukhu is a three-time MLA and is contesting from Nadaun seat in Hamirpur district.
MUKESH AGNIHOTRI
Congress leader and four-time MLA Mukesh Agnihotri, who is currently leading and ahead of his nearest BJP rival Ram Kumar in Himachal Pradesh’s Haroli constituency, is also a prominent figure in the Congress for the chief minister’s post.
Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Agnihotri has defeated BJP’s Ram Kumar in the last two assembly elections in the state.
Journalist-turned-politician Agnihotri is contesting for the fifth time after winning four times in a row.
In Haroli, it is a triangular contest between the Congress, the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party, which has fielded a new candidate, Ravinder Pal Singh Mann, in the state polls. Naresh Kumar (BSP) and Ashwani Kumar Rana (Rashtriya Devbhui Party) are also in the fray from this seat.
In large parts of the constituency bordering Punjab, Agnihotri’s supporters are demanding that their leader be made the Congress’ chief ministerial candidate if the party wins.
Though Haroli shares a border with Punjab, AAP has not been able to make a mark in the constituency. BJP’s Kumar, a former teacher, has sought votes claiming that despite losing the election, he remained among the people of Haroli and helped them in their time of need and urged voters to give him one chance.
Asha kumari
Six-time Congress MLA Asha Kumari, trailing behind BJP candidate DS Thakur in Himachal Pradesh’s Dalhousie assembly seat, till the time of writing this report, could be in the race for the CM post if the grand old party wins in the state Can ,
Congress’s potential chief ministerial candidate Kumari is seeking re-election from Dalhousie constituency in Chamba district. The constituency came into limelight after veteran Congress leader and former chief minister Virbhadra Singh’s aide Harsh Mahajan joined the BJP and parted ways to pitch for arch-rival Kumari.
The Dalhousie seat has a large rural population (89.78 percent) and poor roads and lack of staff and infrastructure in health facilities and educational institutions has become a major election issue.
Kumari, who hails from the then royal family of Chamba, was first elected in 1985 and re-elected in 1993, 1998, 2003, 2012 and 2017.
Former Congress in-charge of Punjab and former minister, Kumari is the tallest leader of the district. In 2012, Kumari defeated her BJP rival Renu Chadda by a margin of 7,365, but in 2017, her victory margin against Thakur came down to 556.
THAKUR KAUL SINGH
Thakur Kaul Singh (77) is the senior most leader of Himachal Congress. The 77-year-old has been an eight-time MLA from Darrang seat in Mandi district. Former state president and minister in the state government, Kaul stood firmly with Pratibha Singh after the death of Raja Virbhadra Singh.
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