New Delhi – The Congress party in Himachal Pradesh is gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with a focus on introducing new faces and maintaining caste and regional balance. The decision-making process was initiated in the first meeting of the screening committee chaired by former Minister of State for Railways, Bhakta Charan Das.
State Congress President and MP, Pratibha Singh, is widely speculated to be a strong contender for the Mandi parliamentary seat. The remaining three seats are expected to see fresh faces representing the party. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, State Congress President Pratibha Singh, and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri. The deliberations took place at the residence of the party’s Himachal in-charge, Rajeev Shukla.
The screening committee delved into discussions about potential candidates for the state’s four parliamentary constituencies and analyzed the shifting electoral dynamics. The All-India Congress Committee has entrusted the responsibility of candidate selection in Himachal Pradesh to Bhakta Charan Das.
Interestingly, the party is contemplating placing its bets on new faces in Hamirpur, Shimla, and Kangra, regions where Congress has faced consecutive defeats. Hamirpur, in particular, has proven to be a stronghold for BJP, with Union Minister Anurag Thakur securing three consecutive victories and before that Suresh Chandel has won the seat three times and Prem Kumar Dhumal once.
Congress, eager to break the losing streak, is preparing to field fresh faces to challenge BJP’s dominance. The prestige of Congress is at stake in Hamirpur, which is also the home seat of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri.
Furthermore, the Congress is eyeing the Rajya Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh, with Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and State Congress President Pratibha Singh engaging in detailed discussions. The upcoming Rajya Sabha nominations scheduled for February 15 have names like Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi circulating for potential entry into the upper house.
The party is undergoing a thorough survey and consultation process to ensure the selection of candidates aligns with the high command’s strategy for a strong electoral performance in Himachal Pradesh.
