Himachal Pradesh Elections

Himachal HC issues notice to Kangana Ranaut over Mandi election challenge

Kinnaur resident Layak Ram Negi filed a petition in the Himachal Pradesh High Court asking the court to annul Kangana Ranaut's election

Assembly by-polls today: In Himachal's Dehra, CM Sukhu's wife in fray. List

Assembly by-polls update: By-elections for Himachal's Hamirpur, Dehra, and Nalagarh seats were announced following the resignation of three independent MLAs who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party

BJP MLA Jamwal targets Himachal CM, calls him biggest contractor of lies

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is the biggest contractor of lies but his actions would not help the Congress to win the bypoll, Bilaspur (Sadar) MLA and BJP co-incharge of the Hamirpur assembly bypoll Trilok Jamwal said on Wednesday. "Sensing his party's defeat in all the three seats, including Hamirpur, the home district of the chief minister, Sukhu is making false allegations and accusations against BJP candidates," the MLA said in a statement issued here. Bypolls will be conducted for three assembly seats -- Dehra, Hamirpur and Nalagargh -- on July 10. The seats fell vacant after three Independent legislators, who voted in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajya Sabha elections, resigned and later joined the saffron party. The BJP has fielded all the three former MLAs from their respective seats. "If (Sukhvinder Singh) Sukhu says that during the Congress tenure, Ashish Sharma took contracts worth crore from him, then should it be understood that contracts are

Didn't want my wife to contest polls, but Cong brass insisted: HP CM Sukhu

Congress leader and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Wednesday said he did not want his wife to contest elections, but the party high command insisted she should, and announced her candidature for the Dehra assembly seat bypoll. Sukhu's wife Kamlesh Thakur's name appear in the list of candidates released by Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Tuesday. She has been fielded from the Dehra seat against two-time Independent MLA Hoshiyar Singh, who is contesting this election on a BJP ticket. "I was not willing that my wife contests elections but could not refuse to the Congress High command" Sukhu told reporters late on Tuesday night. He said the party leadership had told him during the Lok Sabha elections too that Thakur should contest the elections "but I was not willing". "This time again when the High Command insisted, I could not refuse" given what the political scenario in the state demanded. He said his wife emerged as the front-runner in the part

Himachal bypoll: Cong fully prepared for elections, says HPCC leader Kimta

HPCC General Secretary Rajneesh Kimta on Thursday said the party is fully prepared for the upcoming assembly by-elections in the state and will face the money power with unity. In a statement released here, he informed that the Congress has appointed three ministers as in-charges for by-election to Dehra, Nalagarh and Hamirpur assembly seats. The three Independent MLAs -- Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur), Hoshiyar Singh (Dehra) and KL Thakur (Nalagarh) -- resigned from the assembly on March 22 and joined the BJP the following day. The by-elections will be held on July 10. Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar has been appointed incharge of Dehra assembly seat, Education Minister Rohit Thakur for Nalagarh and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani for Hamirpur. The Congress leaders have been alleging that nine MLAs, including six Congress rebels, and the three Independents who voted in favour of the BJP in Rajya Sabha polls on February 27 and BJP tried to topple the government by using

Lok Sabha elections Phase 7: 49.68% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 7 voter turnout: At more than 60 per cent, Jharkhand recorded the highest voter turnout at 3 pm, Bihar had the lowest at 42.95 per cent

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 7: Over 40% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 7 voter turnout: Himachal Pradesh had the highest voter turnout at 48.63

Infra, connectivity should be main focus: Himachal tourism stakeholders

Irrespective of which party forms the next government, infrastructure development and fixing connectivity issues should be the main focus in Himachal Pradesh, stakeholders of the state's tourism industry said. The state and central government should complete projects on proposed airport constructions, improve rail connectivity and build facilities along the highways for tourists, they said. "We are businessmen and do not wish to face the ire of any political party. Single engine or double engine, the government should work for development," said Nishant Nag, the owner of a hotel and amusement park in Shimla. The tourism economy of Himachal Pradesh accounted for seven per cent of state GDP amounting to Rs 14,000 crore, and generates 14.2 per cent direct and indirect employment, as per the latest economic survey. Candidates of both BJP and Congress contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Shimla, Mandi and Kangra seats have mentioned promotion of tourism and better connectivity as the

Himachal Congress ex-MLAs contesting assembly bypolls on BJP ticket

Facing a barrage of criticism, dubbed "bike hue (sold out) mafia" by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the six disqualified Congress MLAs contesting the assembly bypolls on a BJP ticket have resolved to fight fire with fire. Not apologetic and in a mood to retaliate, they say it is the public who voted for them that comes first and not the party they belong to. Rajinder Rana (Sujanpur), Sudhir Sharma (Dharamshala), Ravi Thakur (Lahaul & Spiti), Inder Dutt Lakhanpal (Barsar), Chaitanya Sharma (Gagret) and Devinder Kumar Bhutto (Kutlehar), along with three Independent lawmakers, voted for Harsh Mahajan -- the BJP's nominee in the Rajya Sabha election on February 27. Two days later, the six Congress MLAs were disqualified from the assembly for defying a party whip to be present in the House and vote in favour of the government. They later joined the BJP and were fielded from their respective constituencies on a saffron party ticket. Ever since the cross-voting ..

BJP insulting nation builders, trying to disprove history: Congress

Congress candidate from Himachal Pradesh's Kangra Lok Sabha seat Anand Sharma on Monday accused the BJP of trying to disprove history and insulting the nation builders as he asserted that Manmohan Singh left a strong India and a stout economy in 2014. At an election rally in Churah of Chamba district, he also lashed at the BJP-led Centre for its "step brotherly treatment" towards the hill state during last year's monsoon disaster. All states are given relief package by the Centre from the National Disaster Relief Fund in the wake of a calamity but Himachal Pradesh was deprived of it as the people voted for the Congress in the assembly polls, Sharma claimed. "The BJP is extolling the 10 years the Narendra Modi government as 'Amrit Kaal' but it was 10 years of 'anyay' (injustice), the senior Congress leader said as he called upon people to vote for his party "to bring back the era of justice". Addressing the rally, he said, "Independent India's journey did not commence in May 2014 as

LS polls: Cong leader Vikramaditya Singh files nomination from Mandi

Himachal Pradesh Public works minister and Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh on Thursday filed his nomination papers from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. He was accompanied by his mother and the state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Congress Working Committee member and in-charge Himachal, Rajiv Shukla. Mandi would be made a smart city and Jalori Jot tunnel would be constructed on the line of the Rohtang tunnel. The remote Pangi area of Chamba would be would also be connected through the tunnel, Singh told PTI. "I would take forward the long and deep relation with the people of Mandi", the Congress candidate, who is the son of late chief minister Virbhadra Singh, said. Scion of erstwhile Rampur estate, Singh is pitted against actor and BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut. Elaborating on the achievements of the Congress, Singh said the party has opened IIT at Mandi, a medical college at Nerchowk and been instrumental in construction of the ...

Himachal HC extends anticipatory bail of Ashish, Rakesh Sharma till Apr 26

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday extended the interim anticipatory bail of Hamirpur independent MLA Ashish Sharma and Rakesh Sharma, father of Gagret MLA Chaitanya Sharma, who were booked by the police for electoral offences and criminal conspiracy till April 26. Ashish, now BJP candidate from Gagret Vidhan Sabha, and Chetanya are among the nine MLAs, including six Congress rebels and three independents, who voted in favour of BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan in the recently held Rajya Sabha polls. All of them later joined the BJP. Advocate General Anoop Rattan on Monday said that the High Court has extended the interim bail till April 26 and asked them to join the investigations and appear before the investigation officer whenever called. "We have mentioned in our status report that Rakesh Sharma, a retired bureaucrat, despite orders of the court did not join the investigations and threatened the investigation officer when asked to appear before the police," he said. Meanwhile,

Himachal CM's first reaction as BJP fields ex-Cong rebel MLAs in by-polls

The Congress had disqualified the six rebel MLAs, including Rajinder Rana for voting in favour of the BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan during the Rajya Sabha polls in February

SC refuses to stay HP Assembly Speaker order disqualifying rebel Cong MLAs

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the order of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker disqualifying six Congress rebels, who had cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha polls in the state. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta issued notice to the office of HP Assembly speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania and sought its response to the plea in four weeks. The bench said that pending adjudication of their plea, rebel HP Congress MLAs will not be allowed to vote or participate in the proceedings of the Assembly. "On the question of by-election on six vacant seats, we will have to examine whether the elections which have been notified by the ECI are to be stayed during the pendency of plea," the bench said. It posted the matter for listing on May 6 and gave the rebel MLAs a week to file their rejoinder. The filing of nominations for six vacant assembly seats starts on May 7. The six rebels -- Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya S

EC launches special campaign in Himachal Pradesh to boost voter turnout

The Election Commission has launched a special campaign in Himachal Pradesh to maximise voter turnout in 414 polling stations which registered less than 60 per cent voting in the last Lok Sabha polls. Bypolls to six assembly seats that fell vacant after disqualification of Congress MLAs would be held simultaneously with four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh in the last phase on June 1. The main focus of the campaign -- "Mission 414" -- is increasing the vote percentage in 414 identified polling stations which registered less than 60 percent voting in the last Lok Sabha polls, Chief Electoral Officer, Himachal Pradesh, Maneesh Garg told PTI on Monday. Awareness campaigns and cultural events would be held besides making these 414 stations model polling stations. Booth youth icons from first time voters would be roped in and special invitation cards made by children would be given to prospective voters, he said. Letters had been sent to the respective Deputy Commissioners in Febru

Himachal Pradesh govt issues notification for granting pension to women

Facing criticism for not honouring a poll promise of giving Rs 1,500 per month to women in the age bracket of 18 to 59 years, the Himachal Pradesh government issued a notification on Thursday for granting pension under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana. On March 4, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that the state government will give Rs 1,500 per month to women and said a sum of Rs 800 crore would be spent on the initiative, benefitting more than five lakh women annually. According to the notification, income-tax payers, women monks permanently staying in monasteries, family members of employees, pensioners of central and state governments and employees of panchayati raj institutions, local bodies and public sector undertakings of the state and central governments will not get the amount. The other categories excluded from the pension are contractual employees, outsourced employees, daily wagers, part-time employees, ex-servicemen and their widows,

At least 9 more MLAs in touch with us, says disqualified HP Cong MLA Rana

Rajinder Rana, one of the six Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections and was later disqualified from the assembly, on Saturday rubbished Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's claim that some rebel legislators want to return, asserting that at least nine party legislators were in touch with them. He also accused Sukhu of misleading people with his statements. "No one wants to return. On the other hand, at least nine more MLAs are in touch with us," Rana told PTI. On the other hand, Sukhu claimed that "80 per cent of the Congress is together" and the rest were dissatisfied over "trivial issues". He claimed that he held discussions with the six disqualified MLAs and the situation would "surely get better after the formation of the coordination committee". About the cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections for the lone seat in the state, Rana said, "We took this decision to uphold the honour of Himachal Pradesh and its people." "Did the Congress

RS polls: Digvijaya Singh targets BJP over political crisis in Himachal

Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh apparently targeted the BJP as he alleged that the political crisis in Himachal Pradesh, which is ruled by his party, was created by those who have "taken the contract of toppling governments". Talking to reporters at Morena in Madhya Pradesh on Friday night, he also said the action against Congress rebels in Himachal would be taken at an appropriate time. Six Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh triggered the crisis this week when they voted for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election for the lone seat from the state. Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Thursday disqualified these six Congress MLAs for allegedly defying a party whip on voting for the state Budget in the assembly. When asked why the Congress was not taking action against the rebels in Himachal Pradesh, Digvijaya Singh only said, "It (action) will happen when the (suitable) time comes." On Friday, Himachal Pradesh

Best of BS Opinion: Himachal: an old tale, Japan as number four & more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

Himachal: Retelling an old tale

The BJP in Himachal has its own problems. But it is not a party that sits around twiddling its thumbs