The Congress has decided to field Pratibha Singh, a former MP and the wife of former Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh to contest bypoll to Mandi Lok Sabha seat.
The party on Monday announced its candidate for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat and the three assembly segments, which will go to polling on October 30.
For the Jubbal Kotkhai assembly constituency, the Congress has fielded Rohit Thakur, grandson of former Chief Minister Ram Lal Thakur and a two-time MLA. Sanjay Awasthi is Congress’ candidate for Arki assembly seat while Bhawani Singh Pathania, the son of former Minister Sujan Singh Pathania is party’s candidate from Fatehpur assembly seat.
Sanjay Awasthi had contested on Arki Assembly seat in 2012 Vidhan Sabha elections but had lost to BJP candidate.
Notably, the bypoll for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat was necessitated after the death of BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma. The three Assembly seats -- Jubbal Kotkhai (Shimla district), Fatehpur (Kangra district) and Arki (Solan district) – fell vacant after the demise of Narinder Bragta of the BJP, Sujan Singh Pathania of the Congress and former six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh of the Congress, respectively.
The bypolls in Himachal will be an acid test for Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. The electoral battle on the crucial Mandi Parliamentary seat in the home district of the Chief Minister will be keenly watched.
Congress stalwart Virbhadra Singh’s demise is expected to become a key factor in the electoral contest on the Mandi parliamentary seat on which his wife Pratibha Singh has been fielded by the party. Pratibha has been a member of Parliament twice from the Mandi seat. Congress is hoping to encash on the sympathy factor of her husband Virbhadra Singh.
Pratibha had lost to BJP’s Ram Swaroop Sharma with a huge margin in 2014 and did not contest 2019 general elections. Ram Swaroop Sharma had won the Mandi Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 elections with a record margin.
The Congress candidates are likely to file their nominations on October 8—the last date for nominations. The counting of ballots will be held on November 2.