Himachal Assembly polls: Campaign ends, fate of 412 candidates to be decided on November 12
Shimla, November 10
The high blitz campaign for the November 12 Assembly polls concluded on Thursday with star campaigners including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Priyanka Gandhi wrapping up the political battle for supremacy in the hill state with election rallies.
A total of 55.92 lakh voters will decide the fate of 412 candidates including 38 women candidates for the 68 Assembly segments on November 12. Prominent leaders whose political fortunes are at stake include CM Jai Ram Thakur and his 10 ministers, Assembly speaker Vipin Parmar, CLP Leader Mukesh Agnihotri and chairman of Congress campaign committee Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. With AAP failing to make a major impact, it appears to be a direct contest between ruling BJP and Congress.
The counting of votes will be taken up on December 8, almost a month later after polling.
The BJP has gone full blast into the campaign with the slogan of changing the ‘rivaz’ of no party repeating its government. The stakes are obviously very high for BJP with Himachal being the home state of BJP Chief JP Nadda and PM Modi terming Himachal as his second home and the ’emotional connect’ he shares with the people.
The BJP campaign was led by PM Modi who addressed election rallies besides BJP Nadda, Union Ministers- Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Anurag Thakur and its CM’s ndash; Yogi Adityanath, Shivraj Singh, Manohar Lal Khattar besides others leaders criss-crossing the state to garner support for the candidates.
With Rahul Gandhi staying away from the campaign on account of Bharat Jodo Yatra, the responsibility of spearheading the campaign was with Priyanka Gandhi who addressed election rallies in Solan, Sirmour, Kangra and Una. However, Rahul through his tweets reiterated Congress commitment on OPS and Rs 1,500 monthly grant to women. Its two CMs, Bhupesh Bhagel and Ashok Gehlot had actively participated in campaign.
The BJP had won 44 seats, Congress 21, CPM one and two by the Independents in the 2017 polls. The voter turnout in 2017 polls was 76 per cent.
However, the inclement weather conditions and snowfall in the higher reaches in Lahaul-Spiti is causing worry for the election department as well as the candidates, fearing a low voter turnout. It has been snowing in Lahaul Spiti since last night, blocking all internal link roads including Manali-Leh highway via Atal tunnel for traffic movement. The district administration in a quandary, how to send polling parties toward their destinations in snowy weather with road transport being hampered.
