The Sri Renukaji Assembly Constituency has Narayan Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),  Vinay Kumar from the Indian National Congress (INC) and Ram Krishnan of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) make it a three-way contest for this year’s Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections.

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

The recent announcement by the Centre to include the Hatti community in the Scheduled Tribes list in the Sirmaur district has sparked outrage among some sections of Himachal Pradesh. The move has alarmed Gujjars, the district’s only ST community, and other Scheduled Caste groups.

While BJP Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur defends the party’s position and policies, opposition parties such as the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party focus their campaigns on three major issues.

According to political analysts, the state’s first election since the Covid-19 pandemic will focus on anti-incumbency, price increases, and unemployment. Himachal Pradesh has been governed alternately 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 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,  Vinay Kumar of the Indian National Congress (INC) defeated Balbir Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by 5,160  votes.  Independent candidate, Hirdaya Ram also contested the elections in 2017. 

Also Read | 5 key battlegrounds in Himachal this poll season

Sri Renukaji is one of the 68 assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh. Sri Renukaji falls under the Sirmaur district and Shimla Lok Sabha Constituency. Sri Renukaji has more than 72, 000 eligible voters. This constituency is reserved for Schedule Caste candidates. 

In 2012, Vinay Kumar of the  Indian National Congress (INC) defeated Hirdaya Ram of the  Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by 655 votes. Satpal of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPIM) and Rajesh Kumar of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 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 Sri Renukaji Assembly seat  

Name of the assembly constituency, district: Sri Renukaji, Sirmaur district

Polling date: November 12, 2022

Sitting MLA, party:  Vinay Kumar, INC

Key candidates, party in 2022: Ram Krishnan (AAP), Narayan Singh (BJP), Vinay Kumar (INC)

Winning candidate, party in 2017: Vinay Kumar, INC

Runner-up name, party 2017: Balbir Singh, BJP

Winning margin in 2017: 5,160

Top 3 candidates 2017: Vinay Kumar (INC), Balbir Singh (BJP),  Hirdaya Ram (Independent)

Top 3 candidates 2012: Satpal (CPIM), Hirdaya Ram (BJP), Vinay Kumar (INC)

Lok Sabha constituency: Shimla