By: Hema D
Shimla: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Convenor, Major Vijai Singh Mankotia would be contesting the second phase of Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections from Dharamshala. Mankotia has been elected for the Himachal state assembly five times from Shahpur seat which would now be contested by Onkar Singh Rana.
Unlike the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has abstained from announcing the elections tickets of its big leaders in the first list, the BSP has declared names for crucial seats in the first list of 45 candidates. The final list of 20 candidates that is still under cover, might spring surprises for the other two political parties – the Congress and the BJP. The list was today declared by the BSP national general secretary Man Singh Manhera, in presence of Vijai Singh Mankotia in Chandigarh. Manhera said that the final decision on the list was taken by BSP Supremo and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Mayawati. The BSP expects sure shot victory for Mankotia from Dharamshala, said Manhera.
The list includes Vijay Singh Mankotia (Dharamsala), Vijay Kumar Joshi (Santoshgarh), Kewal Singh Pathania (Nurpur), Hari Dutt Sharma (Chintpurni), Dr Randhir Ranta (Rohru), Mahant Ram Chaudhary (Balh), S P Gautam (Sundernagar), Dr M L Mastana (Mewa), Chameli Devi (Thural), Manjinder Singh Beeka (Paonta Sahib), Darshan Singh Saini (Doon), Vinod Thakur (Nalagarh), Suresh Sharma (Baijnath), Sanjay Chaudhary (Kangra), Vinod Kumar (Palampur), Ved Parkash Thakur (Shimla), Bhim Singh Kesari (Karsog), Nanak Chand Bhardwaj (Dharampur), Jagdish Reddy (Chachiyot), Uttam Singh Chouhan (Drang), Rakesh Bhardwaj (Jogindernagar), Onkar Singh Rana (Shahpur), Bhikham Singh Padgotra (Guler), Subedar Hans Raj (Gangath), Vicky Mankotia (Jawali), Ramesh Khola (Jawalamukhi), Colonel (Retd) Dev Raj (Gagret) and Hari Om Sharma (Jaswan). Yashpal Singh Thakur (Nadaunta), Surinder Kumar Sharma (Bumsan), Dr Loki Nand Sharma (Banikhet), Kamla (Theog), Parkash Chand Bhatia (Pachhad), Prithvi Singh (Renuka), C D Singh Guleria (Sulah), Dr Som Dutt Bharwal (Una), Dr Sukh Ram Chauhan (Kotkahlur), Rajinder Mohan (Mandi), Kant Sharma (Bilaspur Sadar), Capt (Retd) Brij Lal Chauhan (Ghumarwin), Sukhdev (Geharwain), Harish Chand Dogra (Chaupal), B N Mehta (Kumarsein), Uttam Chand Kashyap (Kasumpati), Rajwant Manta (Jubbal-Kotkhai).