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Himachal pradesh The political scene in Himachal, which goes to the polls on May 7, is dominated by Virbhadra-Dhumal animosity rather than core issues that matter to the people of the hill state. 
Pratibha ChauhanIt is a close battle between the two main players, the Congress and BJP in Himachal, with stakes high for the three stalwarts — Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and former Chief Ministers PK Dhumal and Shanta Kumar. Since the poll din is practically missing, the electorate is keeping the political players guessing. Uttarakhand |
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Heavyweights make the clash personal The political scene in Himachal, which goes to the polls on May 7, is dominated by Virbhadra-Dhumal animosity rather than core issues that matter to the people of the hill state. Pratibha Chauhan Since the poll din is practically missing, the electorate is keeping the political players guessing. With Virbhadra’s wife Pratibha Singh, and Dhumal’s son Anurag Thakur trying their electoral luck from Mandi and Hamirpur, respectively, the two leaders are working overtime to ensure their victory. The stakes are even higher for Shanta Kumar as he has entered the fray from Kangra despite having quit electoral politics. While the BJP is crying hoarse about political vendetta being unleashed by the Congress regime, the ruling party has put the opposition in the dock by holding vigilance inquiries and registering three cases against the HP Cricket Association headed by Anurag Thakur for alleged irregularities. The Congress might have to pay a price for the public antipathy against the UPA regime, even as it is hoping to improve its tally from one seat as against the BJP’s three. However, with the Himachal electorate usually voting for the party in power in the state in contrast to the national trend, the Congress is hoping for a victory. With the CPM and AAP having a token presence in the election arena, the contest this time will be rather close between the Congress and the BJP on all four seats. Kangra
Total voters: 12,00,165 Present MP: Rajan Sushant (BJP) Assembly segments: Dharamsala, Kangra, Nagrota Bagwan, Jawalamukhi, Shahpur, Nurpur, Indora, Jaisinghpur, Palampur, Baijnath, Jawali, Fatehpur, Sullah, Chamba, Bhattiyat, Churah, Banikhet. Issues at stake: Industry in the region; unemployment; caste factor in the constituency; black money in foreign banks; local development Caste divide:
Rajputs 34% | OBC 32% | Brahmins 20% | Others 14%
Main candidates Shanta Kumar (79), BJP Chander Kumar (69), Congress Rajan Sushant (58), AAP Poll
observer — Lalit Mohan HAMIRPUR
Total voters: 12,24,000 Present MP: Anurag Thakur (BJP) Assembly segments: Sujanpur, Bhoranj, Badsar, Nadaun, Hamirpur, Haroli, Una, Garget, Chintpurni, Kutlehar, Bilaspur, Ghumarwin, Jahndutta, Sri Naina Devi, Jaswan-Pragpur, Dehra, Dharampur Issues at stake:
Issues concerning ex-servicemen, serving soldiers; extension of rail line up to Bilaspur; industrialisation to tackle unemployment; regional divide of upper, lower Himachal Caste divide:
Rajputs 27% | SC 22% | OBC 17% | Brahmins 17% |
Others 17%
Main candidates Anurag Thakur (39), BJP Rajinder Rana (48), Congress Kamal Kanta Batra (68), AAP Poll observer — Pratibha Chauhan Mandi
Total voters: 11,50,408 Present MP: Pratibha Singh (Congress) Assembly segments: Bharmour, Kullu, Lahual and Spiti, Manali, Banjar, Anni, Karsog, Sunder Nagar, Nachan, Seraj, Darang, Joginder Nagar, Mandi, Balh, Sarkaghat, Rampur, Kinnaur Issues at stake: Relief to flood-affected people in Kinnaur district; price rise; corruption; unemployment; poor condition of national highways; tourism Caste divide:
Rajputs 40% | Brahmins 28% | Dalits 22% | Others 10%
Main candidates Pratibha Singh (57), Congress Ram Swaroop Sharma (56), BJP Kushal Bhardwaj (43), CPM Poll observer — Dharam Prakash Gupta Shimla
(R)
Total voters: 11,53,363 Present MP: Virender Kashyap (BJP) Issues at stake: National issues: corruption, unemployment, price rise, national and women security; local issues: roads, quality education, increase in import duty on apple, remunerative prices for crops, legalising opium cultivation Assembly segments: Solan (R), Kasauli (R), Arki, Doon, Nalagarh, Rajghar (R), Nahan, Sri Renukaji (R), Poanta Sahib, Shillai, Shimla Urban, Shimla Rural, Kasumpti, Rohru (R), Chopal, Jubba-Kotkhai, Theog Caste divide:
Rajputs 35% | SC 35% | Brahmins 23% | Others 7%
Main candidates Virender Kashyap (63), BJP Mohan Lal Brakta (48), Congress Subash Chander (58), AAP Jagat Ram (57), CPM Poll observer — Bhanu Lohumi
‘Cong schemes benefited people’ Schemes like MNREGA, food Bill, rural roads and RTI have benefited the common man. We are tackling unemployment by creating job avenues and giving Rs 1,000 per month as skill development allowance. We are also providing subsidised ration. People were sick of corruption and the ignoring of the interest of locals during the BJP
regime. Sukhwinder Singh
Sukhu, state Congress president
‘Strong leadership
an issue’ The UPA is synonymous with corruption, price rise and unemployment. People are concerned about women safety and internal and external security of the country. They will vote for the BJP for strong leadership and development. The Congress performance in the state has been
dismal. Satpal Singh Satti, state
bjp president ‘Wanted to go with AAP’
Our party had sought a merger with AAP, but we got no response. The idea was to keep non-Congress, non-BJP votes intact and to form an alternative. Voters are disillusioned with both parties. We deserted the BJP on the issue of corruption. We are looking at ‘vision 2017’ for the Assembly
polls. Maheshwar Singh,
state president, Himachal Lokhit Party
Vote wise
‘Hoping for higher turnout’ Narender Chauhan,
Chief Electoral Officer
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A fight to the finish Though the contest is largely between Cong and BJP, AAP can’t be dismissed Syed Kazmi
poll date: May 7 Almora
Present MP: Pradeep Tamta (Congress) Assembly segments: Dharchula, Didihat, Pithoragarh, Gangolighat, Kapkote, Bageshwar, Dwarahat, Salt, Ranikhet, Someshwar, Almora, Jageshwar, Lohaghat, Champawat Issues at stake: Relief, rehabilitation in Pithoragarh, Bageshwar districts; good governance; rebuilding of damaged infrastructure Main candidates Pradeep Tamta (52), Congress Ajay Tamta (41), BJP Harish Chandra Arya (44), AAP Hardwar
Total voters: 16,42,848 Present MP: Harish Rawat (Congress) Assembly segments: Roorkee, Manglaur, Piran Kaliyar, Khanpur, Laksar, Bhagwanpur, Jhabrera, BHEL, Ranipur, Jwalapur, Hardwar, Hardwar Rural, Dharampur, Doiwala, Rishikesh Issues at stake:
Good governance; relief to flood-hit people; illegal mining; issues of sugarcane farmers Main candidates Renuka Rawat (54), Congress Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (54), BJP Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya (67), AAP Pauri
Total voters 12,69,053 Present MP: None (Satpal Maharaj resigned) Assembly segments: Badrinath, Tharali, Karnaprayag, Kedarnath, Rudraprayag, Devprayag, Narendranagar, Yamkeshwar, Pauri, Srinagar, Chaubattakhal, Lansdowne,
Kotdwara, Ramnagar Issues at stake: Relief, rehabilitation in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts; Char Dham yatra; economic revival Main candidates Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri (79), BJP Harak Singh Rawat (54), Congress Dr Rakesh Singh Negi (34), AAP Tehri
Total voters: 13,52,537 Present MP: Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah (BJP) Assembly segments:
Purola, Ghanshali, Dhanaulti, Sahaspur, Dehradun Cantt, Yamunotri, Pratapnagar, Chakrata, Raipur, Mussoorie, Gangotri, Tehri, Vikasnagar, Rajpur Issues at stake: Relief and rehabilitation in disaster-affected areas of Uttarkashi, Tehri districts; repair of roads; migration from hilly areas; ‘bundh’ construction along river banks; unemployment Main candidates Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah (64), BJP Saket Bahuguna (40), Congress Anoop Nautiyal (49), AAP Total voters: 16,10,810 Present MP: KC Singh Baba (Congress) Assembly segments:
Lalkuan, Bhimtal, Nainital, Haldwani, Kaladhungi, Jaspur, Kashipur, Bajpur, Gadarpur, Rudrapur, Kichha, Sitarganj, Nanak Matta, Khatima Issues at stake:
Development of hilly areas; industrial development in Terai region; civic amenities Main candidates Bhagat Singh Koshyari (72), BJP KC Singh Baba (67), Congress Balli Singh Cheema (61), AAP
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The main issues have been relegated to the background as the personal animosity between Virbhadra and Dhumal is dominating the political spectrum. This time around, it is individuals who are commanding the scene rather than parties or issues.
The BJP on the other hand is banking on the dismal performance of the UPA regime to turn the tide in its favour. The party is also hoping to gain from the ‘Modi wave’, which will make all the difference. 
Education:
LLB
Education: Postgraduate
Education: BAMS doctor
Education: BA
Education:
Graduate
Education: JBT
Education:
Graduate
Education: Matriculate
Education:
LLB
Education: MSc
Education: BA, LLB
Education: Diploma in civil engineering
Education:
Matriculate
Poll time: 7 am to 6 pm
Adequate arrangements have been made for fair and peaceful polls. We have made special arrangements in tribal segments. Model polling booths have been set up in all 12 districts to motivate voters to turn out in large
numbers.
An
On the other hand, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat took upon himself the burden of spearheading the campaign of the Congress with the help of star campaigners like party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and president Sonia Gandhi. Rawat was given the reins of the state on February 1, 2014, with the aim to reverse the sagging fortune of the party in the Lok Sabha elections. Rawat addressed hundreds of election meetings throughout the state in a bid to stop the ‘Modi wave’ and reverse the 2009 poll verdict. In the 2009 general election, the Congress won all five seats. Aam Aadmi Party has also fielded candidates from all seats and is giving a third dimension to the bipolar elections in the state.
Total voters: 12,54,057
Education:
LLB
Education: Intermediate
Education:
Intermediate
Education: LLB
Education: PhD
Assets:
Rs 15.68 cr
Education: Postgraduate
Education: Doctorate in defence studies
Education: DPhil
Education:
Intermediate
Education: BA, LLB
Education: Postgraduate
Education: Postgraduate
Education:
Graduate
Education: Graduate