No papers filed in HP on first day

SHIMLA, January 28: The process for election to 68-member state assembly and four Lok Sabha seats started today in the state following the i...

SHIMLA, January 28: The process for election to 68-member state assembly and four Lok Sabha seats started today in the state following the issuance of separate poll notifications for the same. Nearly 36.12 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in the simultaneous polls.

Even as the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party finalised its list of candidates and ruling Congress cleared the decks for same yesterday, no nomination papers were filed today in the state. The last date for filing nominations had been fixed for February 4 and candidates could withdraw their papers till February 7, for the polling on February 28.

The Congress yesterday had cleared names of 65 candidates leaving the choice of rest three up to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. The name of former Speaker and Congress stalwart Vidya Stokes had been cleared for Theog, although Pradesh Congress Committee was not inclined to give her a ticket from there. The constituencies left up to Chief Minister are Dharamsala, Thural andJwalamukhi.

Sources close to Chief Minister claim that while State Transport Minister Kewal Singh Pathania had been insisting for a ticket from Nurpur, he will ultimately agree to contest from Jwalamukhi. The choice from Dharamsala would be Ram Swaroop and for Thural Ashawarya Katoch. Raghubir Singh, son of former Minister and tribal leader Devi Singh, has been given ticket from Lahaul-Spiti putting an end to all speculations about the fielding of state Chief Secretary A.N. Vidyarthi. “There should be no controversy about Vidyarthi, who neither had applied for a ticket nor had been tipped for elections,” said Chief Minister.

Men who opened fire outside actor Disha Patani’s home killed in encounter in Ghaziabad

Cities4 hr ago

Two men belonging to the Rohit Godara-Goldy Brar Gang were killed in an encounter in Ghaziabad, suspected to be involved in the firing outside Disha Patani's residence. The duo, identified as Ravindra and Arun, were wanted in multiple cases and were spotted by the police through CCTV footage. UP CM Yogi Adityanath had directed for a speedy investigation and strict action against the perpetrators.

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