The Jubbal-Kotkhai Assembly Constituency has Chetan Singh Bragta of the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rohit Thakur from the Indian National Congress
(INC), Shrikant Chauhan of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Vishal Shagta of the
Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) making it a four-way contest for this
year’s Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections. 

Rohit Thakur is the grandson of the former Chief Minister of Himachal
Pradesh Thakur Ram Lal. He is a member of the Congress and was elected as an
MLA from the Jubbal-Kotkhai constituency in the 2021 by-poll election, shortly
after the death of BJP MLA Narinder Bragta. 

Also Read | 5 issues Himachalis will be voting on this election

According to political analysts, the state’s first election since the Covid-19 pandemic will be decided on price rise and unemployment while anti-incumbency will play a big role. Himachal Pradesh has been alternately governed by Congress and BJP governments since 1985.

The BJP had won 44 of Himachal’s 68 assembly constituencies last time
and the Congress had won 21. The CPM had won one seat. A party needs to win 35
seats for a majority to form the government in the state.

In 2017, Narinder Bragta of the BJP defeated Rohit Thakur of the Congress
by 1,062 votes. Lokinder Jhouta, an independent candidate also contested the
elections in 2017. 

Jubbal-Kotkhai is one of the 68 assembly constituencies in Himachal
Pradesh. Jubbal-Kotkhai falls under the Shimla district and Shimla Lok Sabha
Constituency. Jubbal-Kotkhai has more than 71,000 eligible voters. 

Also Read | 5 key battlegrounds in Himachal this poll season

In 2012, Rohit Thakur of the Congress defeated Narinder Bragta of the BJP
by 9,095 votes. Ram Lal Kesta of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and an
independent candidate Lokinder Chauhan also contested the HP Assembly Elections
in 2012. 

Himachal Pradesh votes in a single round on November 12. Results will be
announced on December 8.

Quick facts about the Jubbal-Kotkhai Assembly seat  

Name of the assembly constituency, district: Jubbal-Kotkhai, Shimla
district

Polling date: November 12, 2022

Sitting MLA, party:  Rohit Thakur, INC

Key candidates, party in 2022: Shrikant Chauhan (AAP), Chetan Singh
Bragta (BJP), Rohit Thakur (INC), Vishal Shagta (CPIM)

Winning candidate, party in 2017: Narinder Bragta, BJP

Runner-up name, party 2017: Rohit Thakur, INC

Winning margin in 2017: 1062

Top 3 candidates 2017:   Lokinder Jhouta (Independent), Narinder
Bragta (BJP), Rohit Thakur (INC)

Top 3 candidates 2012:  Rohit Thakur (INC), Narinder Bragta (BJP),
Ram Lal Kesta (BSP)

Lok Sabha constituency: Shimla