Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday released its first list of 62 candidates in which nineteen greenhorns too are included for the November 12 elections.
The state has 68 Assembly segments. Nineteen out of the 62 candidates declared in the first list are new faces and trying their luck for the first time, state BJP president Suresh Kashyap said in a statement on Wednesday. Five doctors and a retired IAS officer are among those given BJP tickets, he added.
Senior Medical Superintendent at Shimla’s IGMC Hospital Dr Janak Raj has been given a ticket from Bharmaur. Two allopathic doctors Rajesh Kashyap and Anil Dhiman have been fielded from Solan and Bhoranj, respectively. Similarly, ayurvedic doctors Rajiv Saizal and Rajiv Bindal have also been given tickets.
Retired IAS officer J R Katwal is retrying his luck from Jhanduta seat. Five women are also included in the first list of BJP candidates. Indira Kapoor has been given a ticket for the first time from Chamba.
Cabinet minister Sarveen Chaudhary is retrying her luck from Shahpur seat, MLA Reena Kashyap from Pachhad and Rita Dhiman from Indora seat. This time also, former candidate Shashi Bala has been given ticket from Rohru.
The BJP is hopeful of repeating its government in the hill state. In the 68-member Assembly, the BJP currently has 43 members and the Congress 22. There are two Independents and one CPI (M) MLA.
A notification for the state elections was issued on October 17 and the last date for the filing of nominations is October 25. Scrutiny of papers will be held on October 27 and the last date for the withdrawal of papers will be October 29.
The voting is scheduled to take place on November 12 while the counting will take place on December 8.