SHIMLA: The BJP is ahead of the Congress in all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh, according to Election Commission trends.
BJP’s candidate from Mandi, actor Kangana Ranaut, is leading by a margin of 44,477 votes, while Union minister Anurag Thakur, seeking a fifth term from the Hamirpur seat, is ahead by a margin of 97,351 votes, as per the poll panel’s data.
Former Union minister and Congress candidate from Kangra seat, Anand Sharma, is trailing by 1,58,600 votes and former BJP state president and sitting BJP MP from Shimla seat, Suresh Kashyap, is leading by 48,231 votes.
Speaking to PTI, Suresh Kashyap said that results seem to be on the lines of exit polls and people have made up their mind to make Narendra Modi the prime minister for a third term. The BJP leader expressed his gratitude to the party leaders, workers and voters.
Earlier in the day, both Kangana Ranaut and her Congress rival Vikramaditya Singh offered prayers to win from Mandi seat. While Singh visited the Jakhoo temple with his family members, videos of Ranaut offereing prayers surfaced on social media.
Counting began at 8 am at 80 counting centres across the state for Himachal Pradesh’s four Lok Sabha seats and six assembly constituencies where bypolls were held, officials said.
The bypolls were held on June 1, simultaneously with elections to the four Lok Sabha seats.
The assembly constituencies where bypolls were held are Sujanpur, Dharamshala, Lahaul & Spiti, Barsar, Gagret and Kutlehar.
