CPI-M was a constituent of Him Lok Morcha, floated by Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) formed by BJP dissidents and some other smaller groups to provide an alternative to BJP and Congress.
However, it announced candidates for four out of eight seats in Shimla district - giving tickets to deputy mayor Tikender Panwar (Shimla-Urban), Party General Secretary Rakesh Singha (Theog), Kuldeep Singh Tanwar (Kusumpti) and Rajiv Thakur Tunnu (Shimla Rural), according to party sources.