Himachal Election Result 2022 Highlights: Pratibha, Sukhu, Agnihotri lead race for Congress CM

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Accept people's mandate, hope Cong will remain committed to Himachal development: Anurag Thakur

Senior BJP leader and Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said he respects the people's mandate in Himachal Pradesh, and the party will continue to work for the interest of the state. Thakur, who led a spirited campaign for the assembly elections in his home state, said he expects the new Congress government in Himachal Pradesh to remain committed to the development of the state.

68-member assembly will have just one woman MLA

The new 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly will have just one woman MLA.  In the November 12 assembly polls, the performance of women candidates was dismal and only one out of 24 in the fray was elected. The BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress had fielded six, five and three women candidates, but only Reena Kashyap of BJP won the election. Kashyap, who had won Pachhad (SC) assembly bypoll in 2021, managed to retain her seat.

Congress scores victory on several seats only by skin of teeth

Although Congress wrested power from the BJP in Himachal Pradesh winning 40 out of 68 seats, the party barely scraped by in 15 seats with victory margin there being less than 2,000. The margin between the two parties in Bhoranj, Sujanpur, Darang, Bilaspur, Sri Naina Devi, Rampur, Shillai, and Sri Renukaji was less than 1,000 votes. In Bhattiyat, Balh, Una, Jaswan Pragpur, Lahaul and Spiti, Sarkaghat, and Nahan the difference was only between 1,000 to 2,000.

Congress secures 43.90% vote share, BJP close behind with 43%

The Congress on Thursday secured 43.90 percent vote share as it wrested Himachal Pradesh from the BJP winning 40 seats in the 68-member Assembly in the hill state which maintained its tradition of voting incumbent government out of power since 1985. Despite getting 43 percent vote share, BJP could only manage to win 25 seats, with many segments witnessing lower victory margins. Three Independents also emerged victorious in the November 12 assembly polls. The vote share was up for the Congress as against previous assembly elections.

AAP made 'impressive entry' in Gujarat, gave tough fight to BJP in Assembly polls: Italia

The Aam Adami Party has made an "impressive entry' into the Bharatiya Janata Party's bastion of Gujarat, giving a "tough fight" to the ruling outfit in the just concluded Assembly polls, state AAP president Gopal Italia said on Thursday. The Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit contested 181 out of the total 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat, but end up winning just five seats on Thursday, securing about 13 percent vote share. Italia termed the AAP's win in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state as "victory of Kejriwal's politics of honesty" and vowed to make the party a "formidable challenger" of the BJP in Gujarat in the coming years.

Accept people's mandate, hope Cong will remain committed to Himachal development: Anurag Thakur

Senior BJP leader and Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said he respects the people's mandate in Himachal Pradesh, and the party will continue to work for the interest of the state. Thakur, who led a spirited campaign for the assembly elections in his home state, said he expects the new Congress government in Himachal Pradesh to remain committed to the development of the state.

Accept people's mandate, hope Cong will remain committed to Himachal development: Anurag Thakur

Senior BJP leader and Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said he respects the people's mandate in Himachal Pradesh, and the party will continue to work for the interest of the state. Thakur, who led a spirited campaign for the assembly elections in his home state, said he expects the new Congress government in Himachal Pradesh to remain committed to the development of the state.

Next CM: Congress MLAs will discuss, give opinion to high command, says party's HP chief

Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh on Thursday hailed her party's win in the assembly elections and said the new MLAs will discuss who should be the next chief minister and give their opinion to the party's high command. Pratibha Singh, the wife of former chief minister late Virbhadra Singh, also told reporters that the Congress government will take the state to new heights of development.

AAP calls its Gujarat show impressive; results suggest it played spoilsport

The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday won five seats and secured 13 percent of the popular vote in Gujarat, in a performance that belied its high-decibel campaign in the state but cleared the way for it to become a national party. During the campaign, the party positioned itself and its national convenor Kejriwal as the sole challenger of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi respectively. Vote counting on Thursday, however, showed that the party succeeded more in splitting opposition votes and helping the BJP score a historic win. It also failed to replace the Congress party as the principal opposition in the state.

Eight ministers in Jai Ram Thakur's cabinet lost elections

In a major setback to the BJP in Himachal Pradesh, eight ministers lost the assembly elections, results of which were declared on Thursday. The defeated leaders included Suresh Bhardwaj and Rakesh Pathania whose constituencies were changed from Shimla Urban and Nurpur to Kasumpti and Fatehpur respectively on the eve of the assembly polls and the outsider tag haunted them. The outgoing BJP government had 12 cabinet ministers, including Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

Congress leaders, workers celebrate party's win in Himachal polls

Congress leaders and workers celebrated the party's win in the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections across the state on Thursday. As the party returned to power in the hill state after a gap of five years, workers celebrated in Shimla and other parts of the state by distributing sweets, bursting crackers and dancing to the beats of 'dhol'.

With only two wins in assembly polls, 'Royals' losing their charm in Himachal Pradesh

The erstwhile royals of Himachal Pradesh who once commanded their own space in politics are losing their charm as only two of them have won in the hill state this time while two others lost at the hustings. Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya Singh, who belongs to Rampur Bushahr's erstwhile royal family, won with a big margin of 13,860 votes from Shimla rural, while Anirudh Singh of the erstwhile royal family of Koti, won from Kasumpti assembly seat.

Congress thanks people on Himachal victory; Rahul says every promise made to public will be fulfilled

With the Congress winning the Himachal Pradesh elections on Thursday, party leaders thanked the people of state for reposing faith in it, and said the party is committed to fulfil the 10 promises it made to the electorate. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge congratulated the people of Himachal and credited them and party leaders for the victory of his party. 

"We heartily thank the people of Devbhoomi Himachal Pradesh. With folded hands, we congratulate all the sisters and brothers of Himachal Pradesh for expressing their faith in the Congress party. Congress party is committed to fulfill the 10 promises made to the people of Himachal Pradesh," he also said while thanking the people and workers in Himachal Pradesh.