BJP receives 504 applications for 65 assembly seats in HP

Shimla, Nov 9 (UNI) The BJP has received 504 applications from across Himachal Pradesh for the 65 assembly seats that will go to the polls in the second phase on December 19, party sources said today.

However, two senior leaders Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal were not among the 504 party ticket applicants, the sources, refusing to be identified, told UNI here.

They said of the 504 applications, Arki assembly seat in Solan district of the state received the highest number of 31 applications for the polls.

Eighty one applications were received for eight seats in Shimla district, 79 were for the five seats in Solan district, 38 for the five seats in Sirmaur, 27 for the four seats in Bilaspur, 102 for 16 seats in Kangra district, 49 for the five seats in Hamirpur, 49 for four seats in Una, 29 for the three seats in Chamba, 16 for the three seats of Kullu and 72 for the 10 seats of Mandi district.

For the Chachiot seat in Mandi district, represented by BJP's state president Jai Ram Thakur, and the Kuthler seat in Una district only one application each was received, the sources added.

Replying to a question as to why former chief ministers Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar were not among the ticket applicants, the sources said since they were senior leaders of the party they need not apply.

Their candidature and seats would be considered by the party high command, they said.

The applications would first be scrutinized by the state level election committee before the central election committee approves the final list of election candidates.

The process of selecting the candidates would be completed after the first phase of elections, the sources added.

UNI