The Mandi Assembly Constituency has Anil Sharma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Champa Thakur from the Indian National Congress (INC), Shyam Lal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) contesting for this year’s Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections.
Himachal Pradesh has traditionally been a two-party race between the BJP and the Congress. Since 1985, the state has been alternately governed by the Congress and the BJP. This year, the Aam Aadmi Party hopes to destabilise Himachal Pradesh’s political system. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party, which now governs Punjab and Delhi, has already released its election manifesto. If elected, the Aam Aadmi Party has promised to create 6 lakh government jobs and to provide a Rs 3,000 unemployment allowance. It has also promised a return to the previous pension scheme.
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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, Anil Sharma of the BJP won the seat by defeating his closest rival Champa Thakur of the INC with a margin of 10,257 votes. Narender Kumar of the Bahujan Samaj Party and independent candidates Roshani Sharma, Lawan Kumar, Desh Raj and Duni Chand also contested the 2017 election.
Mandi is one of the 68 assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh. Mandi falls under the Mandi district and Mandi Lok Sabha Constituency. Mandi has more than 76,000 eligible voters.
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In 2012, Anil Kumar of the Congress defeated Durga Dutt of the BJP by 3,930 votes. Harish Kumar of Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), Krishan Singh of Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJSP), Desh Raj of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Chander Mani of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Kamal Kishore of All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) and independent candidates Hem Singh, Chet Ram and Shyam Lal 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 Mandi Assembly seat
Name of the assembly constituency, district: Mandi, Mandi district
Polling date: November 12, 2022
Sitting MLA, party: Anil Sharma, BJP
Key candidates, party in 2022: Anil Sharma (BJP), Champa Thakur (INC), Shyam Lal (AAP)
Winning candidate, party in 2017: Anil Sharma, BJP
Runner-up name, party 2017: Champa Thakur, INC
Winning margin in 2017: 10,257
Top 3 candidates 2017: Champa Thakur (INC), Anil Sharma (BJP), Narender Kumar (BSP)
Top 3 candidates 2012: Anil Kumar (INC), Durga Dutt (BJP), Shyam Lal (Independent)
Lok Sabha constituency: Mandi
