In this tourist hotspot in Himachal Pradesh, voters speak out against bad roads, unemployment

The PM announced hydropower projects and also mentioned that Rs 420 crore was sanctioned to upgrade 3,125 km of roads in the entire state. Local residents also cry for more tourist centres as many pockets of the district are full of untouched natural beauty. However, despite the last-minute announcements, BJP hasn’t been able to do damage control in many constituencies. Rebel factor exists even here as well.

This district has five constituencies and four were won by BJP in 2017. BJP has dropped two of its sitting MLAs from Bharmour and Chamba.

Chamba
Sitting MLA: Pawan Nayyar (BJP)
In fray: Neelam Nayyar (BJP), Neeraj Nayar (INC), Shashi Kant (AAP); Indira Kapoor (Independent)

BJP rebel Indira Kapoor is the independent candidate in Chamba. Sitting MLA Pawan Nayyar’s wife Neelam Nayyar was named as the candidate by BJP. Kapoor was replaced after BJP district body raised voice when her name cropped up in a corruption case when she was zila parishad member. In 2021 she was convicted by a local court and the case is still going on in high court. Pawan vented his anger over awarding ticket to someone involved in a corruption case despite his immense contribution to the constituency. According to Pawan, he has worked his fingers to the bone in this constituency. Due to growing dissent BJP announced Pawan’s wife as the candidate. INC candidate is Neeraj Nayar. Out of six candidates in this constituency, two are women, quite uncharacteristic for any seat in Himachal Pradesh. In September a three-time Congress MLA Harish Mahajan had joined BJP, thus making a dent in Congress’s plans ahead of the polls.

Churah (SC)
Sitting MLA: Hans Raj (BJP)
In fray: Hans Raj (BJP); Yashwant Khanna (INC); Nand Jaryal (AAP)

This reserved constituency has only three candidates in fray. With AAP having little impact in the area, it is more a direct contest between BJP and Congress candidates. However BJP MLA Hans Raj who is the deputy speaker in the Himachal legislative assembly was involved in a controversy in May this year allegedly over slapping a government school student in his constituency. Though the boy’s parents didn’t file any complaint, Congress has seized the opportunity and raked the issue up in its election campaign by circulating the ‘alleged slapping’ video again. The Opposition had even demanded his removal as deputy speaker after the alleged slapping incident.

Dalhousie
Sitting MLA: Asha Kumari (INC)
In fray: D S Thakur (BJP); Asha Kumari (INC); Manish Sareen (AAP)

Asha Kumari is the lone Congress MLA from Chamba district. A former education minister of Himachal Pradesh, Kumari was married to Birendra Singh, son of Lakshman Singh, erstwhile ruler of Chamba. Birendra died of cardiac arrest in April 2006. She was education minister from 2003-05 in the HP Congress government. Kumari won this seat in 2012 as well. She is AICC secretary and was also former AICC in-charge of Punjab. She is contesting the polls yet again against BJP’s D S Thakur and three others.

Bhattiyat
Sitting MLA: Bikram Singh Jaryal (BJP)
In fray: Bikram Singh Jaryal (BJP); Kuldip Pathania (INC); Naresh Kumar (AAP)

Bhattiyat is having five candidates in fray for the elections. The contest is more likely between BJP and Congress. Jaryal has been given ticket by the party for the third consecutive time. He had won the polls in 2012 and 2017. If he wins this time again, it will be a hat-trick for him. Congress’s Kuldip Pathania is trying his luck for the second time as in 2017 he had lost by a margin of about 7,000 votes. AAP’s Naresh Kumar is contesting his first election.

Bharmour
Sitting MLA: Jia Lal (BJP)
In fray: Dr Janak Raj (BJP); Thakur Singh Bharmouri (INC); Parkash Bhardwaj (AAP)

Bharmour has a unique history of giving chance to a new MLA every time. In 2017 BJP’s Jia Lal won, while Congress’s Thakur Singh won in 2007. In 2003 a BJP candidate won, while Thakur Singh won in 1997 on a Congress ticket. Thakur Singh is trying his luck again this time. He was a cabinet minister in 2012. His singing and dancing skills have come in handy during electioneering. He loses no opportunity to raise issues like tree felling, environmental problems using his ‘gaddi’ singing style. Looking at the history of Bharmour of changing its MLA, this time BJP also changed its candidate. A former neurosurgeon Dr Janak Raj has been given chance over sitting MLA Jia Lal which has created unrest in the local BJP.