CPM names 11 candidates for Himachal Assembly polls

Shimla, September 21

The CPM will contest election on 15 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections. On the remaining seats, it will lend support to the candidates who, the party feels, could beat BJP candidates.

“Our party line is very clear — the BJP has to be defeated. On those seats where we are not fighting, we will support candidates who can beat the BJP candidates,” said CPM state secretary Onkar Shad.

The CPM state secretariat has finalised candidates for 11 seats. They are sitting MLA Rakesh Singha from Theog, Devki Nand (Anni), Kushal Bhardwaj (Jogindernagar), Bhupender Singh (Dharampur, Mandi), Mahender Rana (Seraj), Kashmir Singh Thakur (Hamirpur), Narendra Singh (Chamba), Ashish Kumar (Pachhad), Kuldeep Tanwar (Kasumpti), Kishori Lal (Karsog) and Vishal Shangta (Jubbal-Kotkhai).

“The final approval of the names will come after the meeting of state committee on October 2,” said Shad.

The other four constituencies where the CPM will fight but hasn’t selected the candidates are Shimla Urban, Arki, Kullu and Una. “We have not reached a consensus on these seats yet. The candidates for these seats will be picked after the October 2 meeting,” said Shad.