Its advantage BJP in Himachal for Lok Sabha and advantage Sukhu for bypolls

BJP is all set to create a hattrick in “Dev Bhoomi '', Himachal Pradesh. With all its four candidates leading in their respective constituencies, the BJP is all set to win the Hill state for third consecutive time although with comparatively lesser margins as opposed to 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

While Union Cabinet Minister Anurag Thakur is comfortably leading from the Hamirpur constituency, Bollywood star turned politician Kangana Ranaut is currently leading from country’s second largest constituency (Mandi) against Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Congress stalwart and former Cabinet Minister Anand Sharma who was viewed as an “outsider” for the Kangra constituency is trailing against BJP’s candidate Rajeev Bhardwaj with over two lakh votes.


For the fourth Lok Sabha constituency, Suresh Kumar Kashyap of BJP is leading from Shimla constituency against Congress’ Vinod Kumar Sultanpuri. On the other hand, Congress is leading from four of six by poll seats.

For the Dharamshala seat, Congress rebel Sudhir Sharma contesting on BJP ticket is leading. Congress candidate Anuradha Rana is leading in Lahaul-Spiti seat by a narrow margin. So is Congress’ Ranjit Singh Rana against rebel Rajinder Singh Rana from Sujanpur assembly seat. Congress candidates Rakesh Kalia and Vivek Sharma are leading from their respective seats (Gagret and Kutlehar) while Congress rebel and BJP candidate Inder Dutt Lakhanpal is leading in Barsar seat.

If the trends, for the six by polls, hold it would cement the hold of Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. For the six MLAs had rebelled against Sukhu and joined hands with BJP.

All six were given tickets by the BJP to contest for the bypolls. As earlier reported by ET, the Himachal voters viewed this as a “reward” for the turncoats. This resulted in “sympathy” for Sukhu. For the voters opined that Sukhu, who has a clean and honest image and known for his straightforward functioning, was backstabbed by his own MLAs.

After six rebel MLAs joining hands with BJP, Sukhu’s government currently has 34 MLAs while BJP 25. In a related development, the Himachal Speaker accepted the resignation of three independent MLAs who will now have to contest bypoll after the Election Commission decides the dates.

On June 1, ET reported that the fear of bheetar ghaat (ambush) as called in Himachali dialect) was perhaps the only common denominator between BJP and Congress battling for power in ‘Dev bhumi’ Himachal Pradesh.

Sukhu’s reining Congress government on February 27 suffered an ambush from its own six MLAs who cross voted for BJP’s candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections. This resulted in their disqualification and joining hands with BJP.

The six nouveau BJP loyalists, who contested by-polls on a BJP ticket, were apprehending a similar bheetar ghaat. One from the BJP leaders who feel sidelined after the six defectors were “rewarded” tickets to contest by-polls. Second from some of their voters who feel “duped” for having joined hands with BJP.

If the current leads (for Congress MLAs) hold, it would emerge that the apprehension of bheetar ghaat turned out to be true.