Ticket aspirants of both BJP and Congress are keeping their fingers crossed ahead of the election committee meetings of both BJP and Congress at Delhi.
On Thursday, central election committees of both BJP and Congress are likely to discuss candidates for HP. Opposition BJP is still indecisive over its candidate for Mandi parliamentary seat, a Congress stronghold, represented by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's wife Pratibha Singh.
State unit of BJP has already shortlisted candidates from other three seats — Kangra, Shimla and Hamirpur. From Kangra BJP veteran and former Union Minister Shanta Kumar will be contesting, from Shimla sitting MP Virendra Kashyap will be contesting and from Hamirpur seat sitting MP Anurag Thakur will be contesting. For Mandi, BJP is still undecided over fielding of former Cabinet Minister Jai Ram Thakur or Kargil hero Brig. (retd) Kushal Thakur. Name of two-time legislator Govind Thakur is also doing rounds for Mandi seat. Thakur is legislator from Manali and is being seen as second alternate to Jai Ram Thakur. Apart from former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, State party chief Satpal Singh Satti and party’s organisational secretary Pawan Rana will participate in election committee meeting in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, Congress has also decided to field former MP Chander Kumar from Kangra seat, from Shimla ticket is likely to be given to Rohru MlA Mohan lal Bragta whom Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is backing and sitting MP and Chief Minister's wife Praibha Singh will be contesting from Mandi. A section of Congress is strongly backing Vinod Sultanpuri from Shimla, son of six time late parliamentarian KD Sultanpuri who had lost the 2012, Assembly election by just 25 votes. Party is still undecided over the candidate for Hamirpur seat, a BJP stronghold.