HP Polls: Voting Begins as BJP Seeks Return to Power, Congress Fights for Change

GG News Bureau

Shimla, 12th Nov. Voters queued outside polling booths across Himachal Pradesh on Saturday to elect a new state government, a crucial test for the BJP hoping to defy precedent and return to power, as well as the Congress hoping for electoral revival.

Voting began slowly at 8 a.m. in the hill state, but picked up as the morning progressed and the winter chill subsided. Polling in all 68 assembly constituencies will continue until 5 p.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters in an early morning message to enthusiastically participate in the “festival of democracy” and register to vote.

PM Modi also greeted young voters who will be exercising their franchise for the first time in a tweet.

Chief Minister Jairam Thakur agreed, saying that every vote counts toward a prosperous Himachal Pradesh.

“First vote, then refreshments.  Dear fellow state residents, today is the day of voting. My humble request to all voters of Himachal Pradesh is to participate in this festival of democracy with full enthusiasm,” the CM said in a tweet in Hindi.

“Vote in huge numbers, your one vote will help build a prosperous Himachal,” he added.

More than 55 lakh voters in the state will decide the fate of 412 candidates, including Thakur, Vikramaditya Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Virbhadhra Singh, and Satpal Singh Satti, the son of former BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti.

This time, there are twenty-four female candidates. In the state, there are 28,54,945 male voters and 27,37,845 female voters.

The ruling BJP is hoping for an encore on the strength of its development agenda, while the opposition Congress is urging voters to continue the state’s four-decade tradition of voting out incumbents.

PM Modi has led the BJP’s campaign from the front, concluding his canvassing with a personal appeal to state voters, claiming that every vote cast for the BJP symbol “lotus” will increase his strength.

The Congress, desperate to reclaim the state from the BJP after multiple electoral defeats and the loss of nine states in two years, has primarily relied on general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has stated that if elected, the Congress will consider creating one lakh jobs and restoring the old pension scheme in the first cabinet meeting.

After poll officials conducted a mock drill at all booths to check EVMs, voting began in the morning.

Maneesh Garg, the Chief Electoral Officer of Himachal Pradesh, stated that all preparations had been made.

“Nearly 50,000 poll workers and approximately 25,000 security personnel have been deployed,” he said.

The Election Commission has established 7,884 polling stations, including three auxiliary polling stations in outlying areas. There are 789 vulnerable booths and 397 critical booths among them.

At a height of 15,256 feet, the highest booth is in Tashigang, Kaza in the Spiti area of Lahaul Spiti district. It will serve 52 voters.

Aside from the BJP and the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party is also running for office. It has candidates in 67 of the 68 assembly constituencies.

The BSP is contesting 53 seats in the elections.