Himachal bypoll: BJP fields new faces from Dharamshala, Pachhad seats

Candidates for the bypolls to two assembly segments of Himachal Pradesh were declared by BJP on Sunday. The two seats fell vacant after sitting BJP MLAs Suresh Kashyap (Pachhad) and Kishan Kapoor (Dharamshala) were elected to the Lok Sabha.

Shimla:The ruling BJP on Sunday declared candidates for the bypolls to two assembly segments of Himachal Pradesh, a party spokesperson said.

The party fielded former Sirmour Zila Parishad member Reena Kashyap from Pachhad constituency (SC) and Vishal Nehriya from Dharamshala seat, the leader said.

The two seats fell vacant after sitting BJP MLAs Suresh Kashyap (Pachhad) and Kishan Kapoor (Dharamshala) were elected to the Lok Sabha.

Reena Kashyap and Nehriya are contesting the Vidhan Sabha elections for the first time.

While Reena Kashyap is the co-convenor of the IT cell of the state Bharatiya Janata Mahila Morcha (BJMM), Nehriya is state secretary of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

Reena Kashyap has been pitted against veteran Congress leader Gangu Ram Musafir, whose candidature was declared by the Congress on Saturday.

Musafir (74), has been contesting Vidhan Sabha elections from Pachhad seat since 1982. He has won seven times and lost twice.

He was elected as an Independent in 1982 and subsequently won on a Congress ticket in 1985, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2007. However, he lost in 2012 and 2017.

Similarly, Nehriya is trying his luck against youth Congress leader Vijay Inder Karan from Dharamshala who too is contesting the assembly polls for the first time.

All the four candidates will file their nomination papers on Monday.

Voting for the two seats will be held on October 21 and the results will be declared on October 24.