For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
Oneindia App Download

Himachal Pradesh results analysis: BJP's victory wipe out Virbhadra Singh's Congress

|
Google Oneindia News

t
Himachal Pradesh Lok Sabha election results 2014 proved that "Modi wave" has successfully made inroads into the hilly state by bagging all four constituencies- Shimla (SC), Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi, with a splendid victory.

In 2009, BJP had tasted victory in 3 seats and Congress, only 1 seat (Mandi), but this time, the BJP has snatched it too.

The LS polls were a considered as a "test" for the ruling Congress in Himachal, but it failed badly.

In Mandi, BJP greenhorn candidate 56-year-old Ram Swaroop Sharma defeated Virbhadra Singh's 57-year-old wife Pratibha Singh.

Sharma, who made his debut in the LS polls, used to tell voters, "Yeh Raja aur Rani hai, aur main ek aam aadmi hu (They are the royal couple and I am a common man)".

In Hamirpur, 39-year-old Anurag Thakur, the son of former BJP CM Prem Kumar Dhumal and president of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) successfully made a hat-trick by defeating Congress candidate 48-year-old Rajinder Rana.

In Kangra, BJP's three-time MP 79-year-old Shanta Kumar defeated Congress's one-time MP 69-year-old Chander Kumar.

58-year-old Rajan Sushant, who had parted ways with the BJP and joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faced a humiliating defeat in Kangra.

In Shimla, BJP's sitting MP 63-year-old Virender Kashyap defeated 48-year-old first-time legislator Mohan Lal Bragta.

Both the veteran politicians of Himachal- Virbhadra Singh and Prem Kumar Dhumal are known to make personal attacks on each other, rather than focussing on issues like development and price rise.

Interestingly, after losing power, Dhumal was almost marginalised in the state politics but Virbhadra Singh has always been a star campaigner.

[Uttar Pradesh election result analysis]

[Punjab LS result 2014 analysis]

[Haryana results 2014 analysis]

[Uttarakhand results 2014 analysis]

[Lok Sabha election result 2014: State-wise results]

[Lok Sabha election result 2014: Party-wise results]

Daggers against Virbhadra Singh

Six-time chief minister Virbhadra who had been claiming that there is no "Modi wave", after facing a crushing defeat finally, conceded his defeat and said, "It's was simply a 'Modi wave' that went in the favour of the opposition BJP."

Some Congress insiders blamed "overconfidence" for the poll drubbing that went against the party. The humiliating defeat shows that it is high time for Virbhadra- led government to review his party's policies and programmes.

How "Modi magic" worked in Himachal

Modi's 'whirlwind campaign', including in Himachal, worked wonders for the party. Donning a Himachali cap, he had appealed to the voters to "give us party 300 lotuses and we will give India a strong government".

Modi also tried to connect with voters through Kangra candidate Shanta Kumar by saying, "I have spent years in Himachal Pradesh and spent time with leaders such as Shanta Kumarji. They have taught me a lot."

"When the new government is made, once again people of Himachal Pradesh will say this government is ours. When Atalji became PM (prime minister), then Himachal Pradesh would proudly say that Atalji is from our state, his second home is here", he had said at a rally in Palampur in April.

Dhumal had also said that Modi has resolved to take on corruption cases firmly and inquiries against corrupt people would be expedited and they would not be in a position to continue in office, in a reference to Virbhadra Singh.

NOTA power in Himachal Pradesh

A total of 29,421 voters out of the 4.8 million electors who exercised franchise in Himachal Pradesh used none of the above (NOTA) option in the Lok Sabha elections.

The highest number of voters who used NOTA option was in Kangra, followed by Shimla, Hamirpur and Mandi parliamentary seats.

Himachal went to polls on May 7 with total 38 candidates in the poll fray.

Here is the constituency wise results:

No. Constituency Winner Party Margin
1 Kangra Shanta Kumar BJP 170,072
2 Mandi Ram Swaroop Sharma BJP 39,856
3 Hamirpur Anurag Singh Thakur BJP 98,403
4 Shimla Virender Kashyap BJP 84,187
For Daily Alerts
Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
X