BJP first list declares 45 candidates for 2012 Himachal elections

Shimla: First of the block in setting up what is likely to be a keenly contested general assembly elections, BJP late yesterday from Delhi announced 45 candidates for the 68 seats that are to go to the polls two months later.

While the party is banking to pushing its mission repeat campaign by repeating most of its sitting legislators, a number of candidates who lost the last poll to rival congress also have been given tickets in the first list released.

Interestingly, neither Ravinder Ravi, the irrigation and public health minister nor Ramesh Dhawala, who are both keen to contest from Jwalamukhi seat have been announced as candidates in the first list.

Rakesh Pathania, the independent MLA from Nurpur who is a strong supporter of chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and was an associate member BJP in current assembly has neither been inducted into the party nor made a election candidate from Nurpur seat. The ticket was allotted to Ranvir Nikka.

On the other hand, Rakesh Verma, another independent MLA and an associate member of BJP legislative party who was keen to contest the polls from Chopal, has been given the ticket for Theog seat, setting up a keen contest between rival likely Congress candidate Vidya Stokes, the leader of the opposition in the current assembly.

Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has chosen to contest the polls from Hamirpur seat elbowing out Urmila Thakur, who has been made the candidate from neighbouring Sujjanpur seat.

The party has chosen to again field the aging education minister ID Dhiman from Bhoranj seat and the party has shifted former health minister Rajeev Bindal, whose traditional seat Solan has been reserved, to Nahan seat in Sirmaur district.

State party president Satpal Satti is the candidate from Una and for Rampur seat the party has picked up bureaucrat Prem Singh Draik as its new candidate.

BJP 2012 Election Candidates

1. Churah- Hans Raj ,
2. Chamba- B.K. Chauhan,
3. Dalhousie- Renu Chaddha,
4. Bhattiyat- B.K. Jariyal,
5. Nurpur- Ranvir Nikka,
6. Jaswan- Vikram Thakur,
7. Sulah- Vipin Parmar,
8. Nagrota- Mangal Chaudhary,
9. Shahpur- Shraveen Chaudhary,
10. Dharamshala- Kishan Kapoor,
11. Palampur- Praveen Sharma,
12. Lahaul Spiti- Ram Lal Markanday,
13. Govind Thakur- Manali,
14. Banjar- Khimi Ram,
15. Ani- Kishori Lal,
16. Seraj- Jai Ram Thakur,
17. Darang- Jwahar Thakur,
18. Jogindernagar- Gulab Singh Thakur,
19. Dharampur- Mahender Singh Thakur,
20. Mandi- Durga Dutt Thakur,
21. Balh- Inder Singh Gandhi,
22. Bhoranj-I.D. Dhiman,
23. Sujanpur- Urmil Thakur,
24. Hamirpur- P.K. Dhumal,
25. Badsar- Baldev Sharma,
26. Nadaun- Vijay Agnihotri,
27. Chintpurni- Balbir Chaudhary,
28. Una-Satpal Satti,
29. Kutlehar- Virender Kanwar,
30. Jhanduta- Rikhi Ram Kaundal,
31. Naina Devi- Randhir Sharma,
32. Arki- Govind Sharma,
33. Nalagarh- K.L. Thakur,
34. Doon- Vinod Chandel,
35. Kasauli- Rajiv Sehjal,
36. Pachhad- Suresh Kashyap,
37. Nahan- Rajiv Bindal,
38. Renuka- Hriday Ram,
39. Sukh Ram Chaudhary-Paonta Sahib,
40. Shillai- Baldev Tomar,
41. Theog- Rakesh Verma,
42. Kasumpti-Prem Thakur,
43. Shimla- Suresh Bhardwaj,
44. Jubbal Kotkhai- Narender Bragta,
45. Rampur- Prem Singh Draik

Ravinder Makhaik

As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.

Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.