24 women, 99 independent candidates in fray

Shimla: In the state assembly elections for 68 seats, 55,92,828 voters will decide the fate of 412 Candidates.

Out of 412 candidates, 24 are female, while 388 are male candidates.

The election Department has set up 7881 polling stations.

Out of total of 55,92,828, 28,54,945 are male electors, 27,37,845 female and 38 third-gender voters.

Election Department spokesperson said that 1,93,106 new voters in the age group of 18-19 years have been added. There were 1,21,409 voters above 80 years, while 56,501 were in PwD category.

The spokesperson revealed that BJP and Indian National Congress were contesting on all the 68 assembly constituencies, while Aam Aadmi Party has fielded candidates on 67 Assembly Constituencies. Similarly, BSP on 53, Rashtriya Devbhoomi Party on 29, CPM 11, Himachal Jan Kranti Party 6, Hindu Samaj Party and Swabhiman Party 3-3 and one each from Himachal Janata Party, Bhartiya Veer Dal, Sainik Samaj Party, Rashtriya Lok Niti Party and Communist Party of India.

The number of independent candidates are 99.

From the Jogindernagar assembly constituency, 11 candidates are in the fray, while Churah, Lahaul-Spiti and Drang assembly constituencies have three each candidate.

The youngest candidate Piyush Kanga (26) is contesting from the Bilaspur assembly constituency as an Independent. The others are Chaitanya (28) of Congress party from Gagret assembly constituency, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Jabna (29) from Nachan assembly constituency, Himachal Jan Kranti Party from Bharmour assembly constituency. Ki Pooja (29) Manisha (30) of Aam Aadmi Party from Nurpur assembly constituency, Kishori Lal (31) of CPI (M) from Karsog assembly constituency, Vikramaditya Singh (33) of Congress party from Shimla Rural assembly constituency and BJP candidate from Karsog assembly constituency Deep Raj (34).

Among the elderly candidates, Col. Dhani Ram Shandil (82) of Congress from Solan Assembly Constituency, Chandra Kumar (78), Congress candidate from Jawali Assembly Constituency, Gangu Ram Musafir (77), Independent candidate from Pachhad Assembly Constituency, Kaul Singh Thakur of Congress from Drang Assembly Constituency (76), Thakur Singh Bharmouri (75) of Congress from Bharmour assembly constituency and Kishori Lal (75) of Congress from Baijnath assembly constituency are in the fray.