Himachal Pradesh witnessed a record 74.62% polling to elect its next chief minister

NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh witnessed a record 74.62% polling on Sunday as it voted to elect its next chief minister and a 68-member assembly. State's chief election commissioner Narendra Singh Chauhan said this at the conclusion of the polling. The state saw a sluggish start with only 10% polling before noon, but it soon picked up and stood at 74% by evening, 2% more than last time.

Both chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Congress chief ministerial hopeful Virbhadra Singh claimed that they would register wins, even though the results of the polls would not be revealed till December 20 {+t} {+h}. Dhumal claimed his party would get nearly 45 seats, four more than BJP's tally in 2007 and comfortably form the government. "There is no anti-incumbency," he said while casting his vote in Hamirpur.

Even though it's mostly a straight fight between the two national parties, BJP and Congress, several smaller parties have also thrown their hat in the ring. A dissident BJP outfit, Himachal Lokhit Party, has fielded 36 candidates, and may play spoiler in at least four seats. BSP has fielded 66 candidates, the Trinamool Congress 25 and SP 16.