The Kutlehar Assembly Constituency has Virender Kanwar of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Devender Kumar Bhutto from the Indian National Congress (INC), and Anil Mankotiya of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) making it a three-way contest for this year’s Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections.
Himachal Pradesh has traditionally been an anti-incumbent state, with the BJP and Congress alternately taking power since 1985. The Aam Aadmi Party hopes to change the political system in Himachal Pradesh this year. Arvind Kejriwal’s party has promised to create 6 lakh government jobs and to pay unemployed people Rs 3,000 per month. He has also stated that previous pension plans will be implemented.
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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, Virender Kanwar of the BJP defeated Vivek Sharma of the Congress by 5,606 votes. Manohar Lal of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Sandeep Sharma of the Swabhiman Party (SWAP) and independent candidate Shiv Hari Pal also contested the 2017 election.
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Kutlehar is one of the 68 assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh. Kutlehar falls under the Una district and Hamirpur Lok Sabha Constituency. Kutlehar has more than 85,000 eligible voters.
In 2012, Virender Kanwar of the BJP defeated Ram Dass of the Congress by 1,692 votes. Ramesh Chand of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Braham Dass of Samajwadi Party (SP), Mahinder Pal of All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC), Sandeep Sharma of the Himachal Swabhiman Party (HSP), Sunita Devi of the Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) 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 Kutlehar Assembly seat
Name of the assembly constituency, district: Kutlehar, Una district
Polling date: November 12, 2022
Sitting MLA, party: Virender Kanwar, BJP
Key candidates, party in 2022: Anil Mankotiya (AAP), Virender Kanwar (BJP), Devender Kumar Bhutto (INC)
Winning candidate, party in 2017: Virender Kanwar, BJP
Runner-up name, party 2017: Vivek Sharma, INC
Winning margin in 2017: 5,606
Top 3 candidates 2017: Virender Kanwar (BJP), Vivek Sharma (INC), Shiv Hari Pal (Independent)
Top 3 candidates 2012: Virender Kanwar (BJP), Ram Dass (INC), Sandeep Sharma (HiSP)
Lok Sabha constituency: Hamirpur
