BJP, Congress yet to finalise tickets as Himachal gets ready for polls

The Congress has so far finalised only 39 names which includes all the sitting MLAs. The party’s election committee is likely to meet in the next two days to decide on the remaining tickets.

“Panels of 1-2 members have been formed for certain constituencies as candidates for the remaining 29 seats are being deliberated upon. The screening process is over and the final decision will be taken by the central committee,” said Naresh Chauhan, the vice president of the party’s state unit, adding that all tickets are likely to be decided by next week.

To lend weight to the party’s campaign, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi will address a rally in Solan on October 14. The party is currently facing an internal crisis in Himachal with senior leaders, including the working president, defecting to the BJP in the last couple of months.

The BJP has also not started the process of finalising tickets. The party is waiting for surveys from constituencies to gain clarity on the ‘winning factor’ of potential candidates.

“For us, the main factor is deciding the right candidate who can win the seats. Final decisions will be taken once we are closer to the polls. It’s not mandatory that the winning candidates have to be repeated. We are relying on the surveys from constituencies which will give us a clearer picture,” said BJP state president Suresh Kashyap.

The party also needs to take a decision on candidates who defected from the Congress in the hope of getting a ticket.

Meanwhile, the BJP is making preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second visit to the state in a span of 10 days. Modi will address a rally in Chamba on October 13 and also inaugurate the Bajoli hydroelectric project and lay the foundation stone for Deothal Chanju hydroelectric project.