The Kullu Assembly Constituency has Narottam Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sunder Thakur from the Indian National Congress (INC), Hotam Singh Sonkhla of the Communist Party of India Marxist CPI(M) and Sher Singh Shera Negi of the Aam Admi Party (AAP)—a four-way contest for this constituency in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections.
Previously, BJP had nominated Maheshwar Singh for the Kullu district. He is the former-MLA of the Kullu constituency and former leader of the Himachal Lokhit Party. However, he was replaced by Narottam Singh. BJP hasn’t disclosed any specific reasons for the change, however, it is anticipated that Maheshwar was dropped after he failed to convince his son, Hiteshwar, to withdraw as an independent candidate from the adjoining Banjar assembly seat in Kullu district, according to News 18.
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Following its stunning victory in neighbouring Punjab in March, the AAP has focused its efforts on Himachal Pradesh, where politics has long been bipolar, with the Congress and the BJP dominating.
With the hope that Punjab’s outcome will have an influence on Himachal Pradesh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia have visited the hill state several times this year. The party’s campaign is focused on two key issues: health and education.
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, Sunder Singh Thakur of the INC won the seat by defeating his closest rival Maheshwar Singh of the BJP with a margin of 1, 538 votes. Renuka Dogra of Rashtriya Azad Manch (RADM) and independent candidate Kamal Kant Sharma also contested the 2017 election.
Kullu is one of the 68 assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh. Kullu falls under the Kullu district and Mandi Lok Sabha Constituency. Kullu has more than 89,000 eligible voters.
In 2012, Maheshwar Singh of Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) defeated Ram Singh of the BJP by 3,198 votes. Sunder Singh Thakur of INC, Lot Ram Thakur of Shivsena, Sarita of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and independent candidate Prem Lata Thakur 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 Kullu Assembly seat
Name of the assembly constituency, district: Kullu, Kullu district
Polling date: November 12, 2022
Sitting MLA, party: Sunder Singh Thakur, INC
Key candidates, party in 2022: Hotam Singh Sonkhla (CPIM), Sher Singh Shera Negi (AAP), Sunder Singh Thakur (INC), Narottam Singh (BJP)
Winning candidate, party in 2017: Sunder Singh Thakur, INC
Runner-up name, party 2017: Maheshwar Singh, BJP
Winning margin in 2017: 1,538
Top 3 candidates 2017: Sunder Singh Thakur (INC), Maheshwar Singh (BJP),
Top 3 candidates 2012: Maheshwar Singh (HLP), Ram Singh (BJP, Sunder Singh Thakur (INC)
Lok Sabha constituency: Mandi
