Priyanka Gandhi to launch Congress poll campaign from Solan

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, October 5

The Congress is all set to launch its election campaign in Himachal Pradesh early next week with a rally by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, already camping in the hill state. AICC sources confirmed that Priyanka would sound the poll bugle in the state on October 10 with a public rally in Solan.

The rally has been planned at Thodo grounds where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed massive crowds in May 2019.

With former Congress president Rahul Gandhi busy with Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress plans to bank big on Priyanka with senior leaders hoping she would match the popularity of Modi in the state.

“Himachal Pradesh is Priyanka Gandhi’s second home. She keeps visiting here almost every quarter. Her presence will galvanise and energise the cadres and send a positive message across the state,” AICC secretary Raghubir Singh Bali told The Tribune today.

Sources said the plan is for Priyanka to address at least one major rally in each of the four parliamentary segments of Himachal. The rally at Solan will target the Assembly seats of Shimla parliamentary constituency as well as segments in Solan district.

After the Solan rally, similar public meetings by Priyanka are proposed at the district headquarters in Lok Sabha segments of Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra.

After covering Lok Sabha seats, Priyanka will address district level rallies, in the first major push to her presence in Himachal elections.

Asked if the choice of Solan was strategic, AICC sources said, “Candidates for all five assembly seats in Solan district have been finalised.”

The Congress has two sitting MLAs in Solan district — Dhani Ram Shandil (Solan) and Sanjay Awasthi (Arki), who won the October 2021 bypoll after the demise of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh earlier that year.

Shandil and Awasthi, along with other sitting Congress MLAs, are set to be re-nominated to defend their seats with the party’s central election committee in its recent meeting deciding to repeat all incumbent lawmakers.

From Doon seat, former MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary is likely to be declared with his name near final, said sources. Vinod Sultanpuri is again expected to contest from Kasauli despite losing the seat twice earlier. The name of Indian National Trade Union Congress state chief Hardeep Singh is likely to be the candidate from Nalagarh where the sitting Congress MLA Lakhwinder Rana recently left for the BJP.

The Solan rally by Priyanka, leaders said, will also impact segments in Sirmaur district.

Panel to finalise names for 29 seats today

• The Himachal Congress screening committee chaired by Deepa Dasmunshi will meet here on Thursday to finalise candidates for the pending 29 seats
• The Central Election Committee, chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi, had cleared 39 names, including those of 20 sitting MLAs, and kept 29 seats pending
• The Congress will wait for the BJP to open its cards on contestants before announcing its lists
• The ruling party is expected to deny ticket to several sitting MLAs to beat anti-incumbency

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Shimla #solan