BJP’s Anil Dhiman wins Bhoranj seat
Congress’ Promilla Devi defeated by 8,290 votes; BJP’s 7th consecutive win from segment
SHIMLA/HAMIRPUR: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained its stronghold in the Bhoranj assembly segment by winning the seat for the seventh consecutive time.
BJP candidate Anil Dhiman, the son of former legislator ID Dhiman, defeated Congress candidate Promila Devi by 8,290 votes. While Dhiman got 24,334 votes, the Congress candidate got only 16,044 votes.
Independent candidates Pawan Kumar Chandel, Ramesh Dogra and Kusum Azad got 4,630, 974 votes and 403 votes respectively. As many as 263 voters who opted for NOTA (none of the above) option. It was a highstakes battle for both the BJP and the Congress, particularly for chief minister Virbhadra Singh and his predecessor from the BJP Prem Kumar Dhumal.
The victory will boost the BJP’s campaign in the run-up to the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh later this year, while the Congress will have to look for reasons behind the defeat.
Pawan Kumar is a BJP rebel, while Dogra is a Congress detractor. Both contested independently but failed to make any significant difference to the parties.
BJP ON SURE FOOTING
The BJP was confident of retaining its long-held citadel of Bhoranj, formerly Mewa. Party veteran Ishwar Dass Dhiman was elected six times from the constituency. Dhiman Senior won the Mewa constituency in 1990 , 1993, 1998, 2003, 2007 and 2012. After his death, the BJP relied on his son, Anil Dhiman.
The Congress first announced the candidature of local leader Prem Kaushal and later fielded three-time zila parishad member Promila Devi.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Anurag Thakur said the result of Bhoranj assembly seat reflects people’s mood in the state. Anurag said that the people had “outrightly rejected the Congress party” and now formation of the BJP government in the state was imminent.
BJP’S WIN IN BHORANJ WAS OBVIOUS AS CONG WAS ‘INACTIVE’: CM
Meanwhile, chief minister Virbhadra Singh blamed the Congress’ “inactiveness” for its defeat in the Bhoranj assembly segment. He said, “BJP’s victory was obvious as the Congress did not work in Bhoranj assembly segment. Congress did not enter Bhoranj for many years and became active only before election announcement.”
Virbhadra added that had party got more time for campaigning, the Congress could have won the seat. “Still our candidate secured so many votes,” he added.
However, the chief minister added results of the Bhoranj bypoll won’t have any impact on assembly polls due later this year end.