Cong Yet to Finalize Candidates for Kangra and Hamirpur Lok Sabha Seats

Shimla, April 19

The names of Congress candidates for the Kangra and Hamirpur parliamentary seats in Himachal Pradesh will be decided only after April 20th. The date for the meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee has not been decided yet. So far, the party has announced candidates only for the Mandi and Shimla Lok Sabha seats. There is still some time left to decide the candidates for the six assembly by-polls.

For the Hamirpur parliamentary seat, the name of Aastha Agnihotri, daughter of Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, was proposed during the meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee to contest against BJP candidate and Union Minister Anurag Thakur. However, Aastha Agnihotri declined the offer via social media. Consequently, the search for a strong candidate from Hamirpur has begun again. Once again, the name of former MLA Satpal Raizada from Una Sadar has surfaced as a candidate for the Hamirpur seat, although the party is considering other options as well.

For the Kangra parliamentary seat, the names under discussion include former Minister Asha Kumari, Sanjay Chauhan, and Karn Singh Pathania. There is also deliberation on fielding one of the sitting MLAs as a candidate from here. The party is considering the names of MLA Raghuvir Singh Bali, Sanjay Rattan, and Keval Singh Pathania for this.

Meanwhile, it will take some time to announce the candidates for the assembly by-polls in Dharamshala, Sujanpur, Lahaul-Spiti, Gagret, Kutlehar, and Badsar. The party is not in a hurry to make a decision regarding the selection of Congress candidates in the state.

In a bid to secure victory in the Lok Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh, the Congress has initiated the formation of a political outline. Meetings will be held over two days with the presence of all ministers, CPS, MLAs, former MLAs, past candidates, and officials. Shimla parliamentary seat in-charge and Education Minister Rohit Thakur stated that the meeting, scheduled for 10:00 am on Saturday, will include ministers, MLAs, candidates from the 2022 Assembly elections, former MLAs, leading organizations, and department heads from the Shimla constituency, along with the Pradesh Congress Committee officials from Shimla.