New Delhi, January 30
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today renominated 26 legislators, including Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal, denying the ticket to eight MLAs for the February 26 elections to the Himachal Pradesh Assembly.
The party today released a list of 66 candidates, virtually closing its options for any understanding with the Himachal Vikas Congress, led by former Union Minister Sukh Ram in the 68-member Assembly.
Mr Dhumal will again contest from the Bamsan Assembly seat.
A surprise inclusion in the list is Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Thakur Gulab Singh who was formally admitted to the party by BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu. He will be contesting from the Joginder Nagar seat in Mandi, which he represented in the dissolved House. He is a five-term MLA and joined the BJP from the Congress.
Talking to newspersons, newly appointed BJP General Secretary and spokesman Pramod Mahajan ruled out any truck with the HVC even as the party was yet to announce the candidates for the Nalagarh and Feuo Assembly constituencies.
Today’s list included 11 Scheduled Castes, one Schedule Tribe and five women candidates, all contesting from general seats.
