Amidst swirling speculation and rumours, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put all conjectures to rest by nominating Union Minister Anurag Thakur as its candidate for the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh. The announcement came as part of the party’s second list of candidates, which included a total of 72 names.
Anurag Thakur, a seasoned politician, has a long-standing association with the Hamirpur constituency. He commenced his political journey in May 2008 when he was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from Hamirpur. Since then, he has been re-elected consecutively to the 15th, 16th, and 17th Lok Sabha sessions. Thakur’s leadership and contributions were recognized when he was appointed as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in 2010.
In addition to his parliamentary responsibilities, Anurag Thakur has held several significant positions within the government. He became the first BJP MP to receive the prestigious Sansad Ratna Award in January 2019, acknowledging his outstanding contributions to parliamentary proceedings. Thakur’s ministerial journey began in May 2019 when he assumed the role of Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs. He later took charge as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Information & Broadcasting in the Second Modi Ministry, reflecting his versatility and leadership prowess.
Meanwhile, from the Shimla constituency, BJP has decided to field sitting MP Suresh Kashyap, who was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019. Prior to his parliamentary stint, Kashyap served as an MLA from the Pachhad assembly constituency of Sirmour district.
With Thakur and Kashyap confirmed as candidates for Hamirpur and Shimla respectively, BJP’s focus now shifts to announcing candidates for the remaining two Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh – Kangra and Mandi constituencies. As the electoral battle heats up in the state, all eyes remain on the BJP’s further strategic moves leading up to the upcoming polls.
