INDIA VOTES 2024: Fearing dissent, Congress cautious on picking candidates for Kangra, Hamirpur seats

Shimla, April 27

The Congress is treading cautiously and has withheld the decision on ticket allotment for the Kangra and Hamirpur Lok Sabha seats and three Assembly byelections while weighing the pros and cons so as to avert any possibility of rebellion in the party.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today held discussions with Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and other ministerial colleagues on the political strategy for the parliamentary elections and the six Assembly byelections. He directed all ministers and MLAs to extensively hold meetings in their constituencies.

The Congress high command could take two or three days more to take a decision on the two Lok Sabha seats, said party sources. The names of former minister Asha Kumari, Dr Rajesh Sharma and MLA Raghubir Bali are under consideration for the Kangra Lok Sabha seat. As Agnihotri has categorically refused to contest the elections from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, there is high possibility that the Congress may give ticket to former Una MLA Satpal Raizada.

Sukhu will be visiting Lahaul and Spiti district tomorrow where the Assembly bypoll will be held on June 1 following the disqualification of Ravi Thakur, who is now seeking re-election on BJP ticket. The Congress is yet to announce its candidate for the Lahaul and Spiti byelection though the name of former BJP minister Ram Lal Markanda is doing the rounds.

Though surveys and internal party reports have indicated that Markanda is the strongest candidate, the Congress has withheld the final decision fearing a revolt by party workers. Markanda, who has a Congress background, was elected MLA on the Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC) ticket, which was merged with the BJP later. The Congress has given ticket to two BJP rebels, Rakesh Kalia from Gagret in Una and Capt Ranjit Rana from Sujanpur in Hamirpur, hence the possibility of it fielding Markanda from Lahaul and Spiti has brightened. The Chief Minister is likely to take the final call after taking feedback from party workers during his visit to Lahaul and Spiti.

The names of Rakesh Chaudhary and former Mayor Devinder Jaggi are doing the rounds for the Dharamsala Assembly byelection. The party is also to decide on the candidate for the Barsar Assembly segment in Hamirpur district.