Himachal: Jai Ram Thakur confident of winning all three seats in by-elections

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 12 : The leader of the opposition and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur along with the state BJP Chief Rajiv Bindal held a meeting of the BJP's legislative party leaders in Shimla. Thakur also claimed that the party will emerge victorious on all three seats in the by-elections scheduled to be held in July.
While talking to the reporters on Tuesday ahead of the meeting, Jai Ram Thakur claimed that the party will win all three seats in the upcoming by-elections.
"This is the first legislative party meeting after winning four parliamentary seats and two seats in by-elections. We shall review the shortcomings and assess the victory and loss of the seats. We have snatched one Parliamentary seat from Congress and two seats in the by-elections."

Notably, the Election Commission of India has announced the dates to hold bye-elections to fill vacancies in 13 assembly constituencies of seven states, including three seats of Himachal Pradesh--Dehra, Nalagarh, and Hamirpur. The elections will be conducted on July 10 and the counting of the votes will be done on July 13.
Stepping up his attacks on Congress, he said, "It is ridiculous that the Congress party is celebrating the defeat in parliamentary elections."
Taking to his official X handle, Jairam Thakur posted, "Today, (June 11) participated in the BJP Legislature Party meeting in Shimla in the presence of party State President Dr. Rajiv Bindal."
The post further read, "Two resolutions were passed in the meeting in which Narendra Modi was congratulated on becoming the Prime Minister for the third time and BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda was congratulated on becoming the Union Minister. In the second resolution, gratitude was expressed to the hard-working workers of the party for the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory with a historic lead in 61 assembly constituencies in the Lok Sabha elections."
Meanwhile, Rajiv Bindal while talking to the reporters said that both the victory and defeat in elections would be discussed and reviewed during the meeting. "Under the leadership of PM Modi, the BJP-led NDA government has been formed for the third time and we have won four parliamentary seats from Himachal Pradesh," Bindal said.

He added further, "It is a very important and proud moment for Himachal Pradesh that JP Nadda has two important ministries, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, and the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. BJP is reviewing the victory in two seats and defeat in four seats in the by-polls. We shall also review and discuss the three upcoming elections."
Criticising Congress, Bindal said, "The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh could not tell the people of the state what they have done for the welfare of the state, why they have deceived the people of the state."
After the meeting was concluded, MLA Randhir Sharma said that in the meeting, Lok Sabha elections 2024 and by-elections were reviewed and the strategy for the upcoming by-elections for the three seats was also decided.
In the Lok Sabha elections, BJP got 61 per cent vote percentage in Kangra, 53 per cent in Mandi, 54 per cent in Shimla and 58 per cent in Hamirpur. Congress got 37 per cent vote percentage in Kangra, 46 per cent in Mandi, 45 per cent in Shimla and 41 per cent in Hamirpur," Randhir Sharma said.
He added further, "In the Lok Sabha elections in the state, BJP got 56.29 per cent votes and Congress has got 41.57 per cent votes. BJP got 14.72 per cent more votes than Congress in the elections. Out of the total votes of 40,78,952, BJP got 22,96,431 votes, while Congress got 16,95,904 votes."
Giving details about the vote percentage in different seats, Sharma said, "Out of total 10,37,474 votes in Kangra Lok Sabha seat, BJP candidate Rajiv Bhardwaj got 6,32,593 votes, while Congress's Anand Sharma got 3,80,629 votes. Here BJP took 24.29 per cent more votes."
"Out of total 10,52,398 votes in Hamirpur seat, BJP candidate Anurag Singh Thakur got 6,07,078 votes and Congress candidate Satpal Raizada got 4,24,711 votes. Here BJP took 17.33 per cent more votes," Sharma said.
Suresh Kashyap got 5,19,748 votes out of 9,70,827 in Shimla parliamentary seat, while Congress candidate Vinod Sultanpuri got 4,28,297. That means here BJP got 9.42 per cent more votes.
He added, "Out of total 10,18,253 votes in Mandi parliamentary seat, BJP's Kangana Ranaut got 5,37,022 votes and Congress candidate Vikramaditya Sihi got 4,62,267 votes. Here BJP got only 7.34 per cent more votes."
Taking a jibe at the Congress, Sharma said that the majority is clear and in favour of BJP. "Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu should accept that the Congress government is in the minority."
The legislators who participated in the meeting include Bikram Thakur, Randhir Sharma, Vipin Parmar, Rakesh Jamwal, Dilip Thakur, Lokendra Singh, Surendra Shourie, Purna Chand, Inder Singh Gandhi, Satpal Singh Satti, Reena Kashyap, Vinod Kumar, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Janak Raj, Deep Raj, Sukhram Chaudhary, Party President Rajiv Bindal, General Secretary Bihari Lal Sharma.
Eleven legislators, including two newly elected MLAs, did not attend the meeting.