The Karsog Assembly Constituency has Deepak Kapoor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mahesh Raj from the Indian National Congress (INC), Bhagwant Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Kishori Lal of the Communist Party of India Marxist CPI (M), a four-way contest for this year’s Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections. Singh has previously contested elections in 2017 as an Independent candidate.
Himachal Pradesh has been primarily a two-party contest between the BJP and the Congress. The state has been cyclically governed by the Congress and the BJP since 1985. The BJP is hoping to change the trend while Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP is attempting to make a significant impact on the state’s political landscape.
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The BJP had won 44 of Himachal’s 68 assembly constituencies last time and the Congress had won 21. The CPI (M) had won one seat. A party needs to win 35 seats for a majority to form the government in the state.
In 2017, Hira Lal of the BJP won the seat by defeating his closest rival Mansa Ram of the INC with a margin of 4,830 votes. Mehar Singh Khukhaliya of Rashtriya Azad Manch (RADM), Chaman Lal of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and independent candidates Mast Ram, Bhagat Ram, Pawan Kumar, Bhagwant Singh and Anita Alias Nitu also contested the 2017 election.
Karsog is one of the 68 assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh. Karsog falls under the Mandi district and Mandi Lok Sabha Constituency. Karsog has more than 75,000 eligible voters. This constituency is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.
In 2012, Mansa Ram of Congress defeated Hira Lal of the BJP by 4,332 votes. Chet Ram of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and independent candidates, Mast Ram and Chaman Lal 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. Elections to the Gujarat assembly are also expected to be held in December this year.
Quick facts about the Karsog Assembly seat
Name of the assembly constituency, district: Karsog, Mandi district
Polling date: November 12, 2022
Sitting MLA, party: Hira Lal, BJP
Key candidates, party in 2022: Deepak Kapoor (BJP), Mahesh Raj (INC), Bhagwant Singh (AAP), Kishori Lal (CPIM)
Winning candidate, party in 2017: Hiral Lal, BJP
Runner-up name, party 2017: Mansa Ram, INC
Winning margin in 2017: 4,830
Top 3 candidates 2017: Hira Lal (BJP), Mansa Ram (INC), Mast Ram (Independent)
Top 3 candidates 2012: Mansa Ram (INC), Hira Lal (BJP), Mast Ram (Independent)
Lok Sabha constituency: Mandi
