Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections Highlights: Voting ends in 68 constituencies; BJP eyes return to power

Voting has ended for Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. Himachal Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 65.92 per cent till 5 pm on Saturday, the Election Commission said. Electors from all over the state travelled miles in the snow to practice their right to vote. The results for the state elections will be declared on December 8. Stay tuned to DH for election highlights!

Himachal Pradesh records 65.92 pc turnout till 5 pm: EC provisional data

HimachalPradesh recorded a voter turnout of 65.92 per cent till 5 pm on Saturday, the Election Commission said, citing provisional polling figures for the state where the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are locked in an aggressive fight.

Voting began at 8 am on a slow note but picked up as the day progressed and the sun warmed the winter chill. The assembly election is a crucial test for the BJP which is hoping to beat precedent and return to power while the Congress has urged voters to go by tradition of voting out the incumbent.

To make the entire experience of voting pleasant and enriching, the ECI has set up Model polling stations in each AC

EVMs and VVPATs being sealed and secured at polling booths in Dharamshala and Shimla

Glimpses of colorful and vibrant democracy coming straight from the world's highest polling station

Himachal Pradesh Elections: J P Nadda casts vote in Bilaspur

Volunteers facilitating senior citizens and PwD Voters at the Polling stations

51 out of 52 voters voted in the world's highest polling station booth in Tashigang, Himachal Pradesh. 98.08% voter turnout has been recorded

55% voter turnout recorded in Himachal Pradesh till 3 pm

BJP slams Congress for leaving their booth vacant

Massive turnout of women of the Dhanderwadi, remotest village of Shimla

Jubbal-Kotkhai constituency leads turnout with 46.07%; Anni constituency second with 46.04%

HP polls: 90% of Congress candidates crorepatis, BJP 2nd with 82%

Around 90 per cent of the Congress candidates in Himachal Pradesh assembly polls to be held on Saturday are crorepatis against 82 per cent of the ruling BJP, according to a report.

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‘People will vote for Modiji in return for the gifts he has given Himachal’

In Himachal Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying hard to rewrite history. The state has not voted back any government to power in more than three decades. Leading the charge is Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur who has been handling campaigns and dissidents around the clock.

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Voters wait in a queue to cast their votes for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, at a polling station in Shimla district. Credit: PTI Photo

Voter turnout rises to 37.19% at 1 pm; Rohru constituency in Shimla sees highest turnout of 46.7%

BJP President J P Nadda casts his vote

Falling apple prices, medical college and support to tourism key poll issues in Himachal's Kullu

Falling market prices of apple, demand for a medical college, and support to tourism have emerged as key election issues in the Kullu region which sends four legislators to the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly.

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Voters show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting their vote for Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district. Credit: PTI Photo

ECI stays silent, like when BJP campaigned on the basis of religious propaganda in Himachal Pradesh: Mehbooba Mufti

'People want to see government repeated', says BJP chief J P Nadda

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election Results 2017:

I salute 1.2 lakh voters in the state who are above 80 yrs of age. Drawing inspiration from them, youth gets the opportunity to go ahead. We pay tribute to late Shyam Saran Negi, it will be a fitting tribute to him to cast votes in large numbers: CEC

There are 56,000 PwD (Persons with Disabilities) voters in Himachal. We have made a lot of arrangements for them. 37 polling stations are being managed solely by PWD staff. This is a tool of their employment which we wanted to display: CEC Rajiv Kumar

157 polling stations across the state are such that are being managed solely by women staff. In Hamirpur district, crèche facility has also been made available so that those who come with children don't have to face any issue: CEC Rajiv Kumar - ANI

An elderly voter shows her voter ID card before casting her vote for Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, at a polling station in Kullu. Credit: PTI Photo

Voter turnout rises to 17.98% at 11 AM; Mandi leads with 21.92% turnout; Lahaul & Spiti trails with 5%

Voters show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting their vote for Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, at a polling station in Paonta Sahib, in Sirmaur district. Credit: PTI Photo

Himachal BJP President Suresh Kashyap casts his vote

We're confident that the people will bless us once again, says Union Minister Anurag Thakur

Do go to vote, do vote for your children and better future of Himachal: Arvind Kejriwal

Voters wait in a queue to cast their votes for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, at a polling station near Palampur. Credit: PTI Photo

Congress MP Anand Sharma cast his vote at Sainik Rest House Longwood, Shimla

5.02% voter turnout recorded till 9 AM; Sirmour sees highest at 6.26%, Lahalul & Spiti lowest at 1.56%

Model Pink Polling Station Thakran in 43-Haroli in Himachal

Himachal will vote for old pension scheme, employment: Rahul

As voting began for the Himachal Pradesh polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the state will vote for the return of the old pension scheme and employment.

More than 55 lakh voters in the hill state will decide the fate of 412 candidates in 68 assembly constituencies.

"Himachal will vote for OPS, Himachal will vote for employment and Himachal will vote for 'Har Ghar Lakshmi'," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. - PTI.

HP polls: BJP looks to return, Cong battles for change

Voters across Himachal Pradesh queued up outside polling booths on Saturday to elect a new state government, a crucial test for the BJP hoping to beat precedent and return to power as well as for the Congress looking for electoral revival.

Voting began at 8 am on a slow note in the hill state but began to pick up as the morning progressed and the winter chill eased a bit. The polling will continue till 5 pm in all 68 assembly constituencies.

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Former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, union minister Anurag Thakur cast votes

Voters being welcomed as they arrive to cast their votes for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, at a polling station in Lahaul & Spiti district. Credit: PTI Photo

Modi has led the campaign from the front for the BJP, wrapping up his canvassing with a personal appeal to voters of the state, saying that every vote cast for the BJP symbol "lotus" will enhance his strength

Congress Rahul Gandhi has said the party will consider providing one lakh jobs and bring back the old pension scheme in the first cabinet meeting if voted to power

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur offers prayers at a temple before leaving to cast his vote for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Mandi district. Credit: PTI Photo

A security personnel keeps watch as voters queue up at a polling station for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Shimla. Credit: PTI Photo

'Your one vote will write a new story of progress and prosperity of Himachal', says CM Jai Ram Thakur

People show their Voter ID cards as they queue up at a polling station for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Shimla. Credit: PTI Photo

Use your vote for better schools, hospitals, honesty and true public service: AAP

Tashigang, world’s highest polling station at 15,256 ft & 52 registered voters, is set to retain its record of 100% voter turnout: CEO Himachal Pradesh

Your one invaluable vote can change the system of the state: Himachal Pradesh Congress

CM Jai Ram Thakur casts vote in Seraj Assembly constituency

People are assisted at a polling station as voting begins for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Shimla. Credit: PTI Photo

This isn't just about Congress leaders and workers, but about future of the state: Vikramaditya Singh, Congress MLA

Voting is going on in all 68 seats under Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly today. All voters are requested to fulfill their responsibility: ECI

Nearly 50,000 polling staff and around 25,000 security staff have been deployed: Himachal Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer Maneesh Garg

"All 7,884 polling parties have reached the polling stations and set up the polling booths. They are accompanied by security forces. Nearly 50,000 polling staff and around 25,000 security staff have been deployed," Garg told PTI.

People cast their votes in Shimla; one voter says voting should be taken more as a responsibility

People queue up at a polling station as voting began for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections in Kangra. Credit: PTI Photo

Our worker in Pachhad has been attacked by BJP goons, alleges Aam Aadmi Party

There is a lot of enthusiasm among the voters of Devbhoomi Himachal for voting: CM Jai Ram Thakur

Perform the duty of voting with full understanding and make your important contribution in changing the situation and weaving the future of Himachal: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

50 lakh voters to exercise franchise

Over 50 lakh voters in Himachal Pradesh will exercise their franchise to elect the 68-member Assembly in the single-phase poll that began at 8 AM and will continue till 5 PM.

"Despite the cold weather and minor hiccups at polling stations at some places, there was no report of any delay in starting the poll process," an electoral officer told IANS.

A total of 55,92,828 voters will elect their representatives. Of them, 1,93,106 are first-time voters in the age of 18-19 years.

Party in strong position, says Congress leader Anand Sharma

Ahead of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Polls, Congress leader and former Cabinet Minister Anand Sharma said that the party is in a strong position and will achieve a stable majority in the state elections.

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People cast their votes for the Assembly election across the state; visuals from polling booth number 12, Dharamshala

All people of Himachal Pradesh are very excited. Everyone will cast their vote today and cooperate to form a new government in the state: Pratibha Singh, Himachal Pradesh Congress chief

Polling in all 68 Assembly constituencies begins; 412 candidates in the fray

PM Narendra Modi requests voters across Himachal Pradesh to participate in Assembly polls

I'm confident that people want to repeat this govt: CM Jai Ram Thakur

BJP eyes history, Congress tradition in high-stakes Himachal Pradesh poll

The ruling BJP is hoping for an encore on the back of its development agenda, while the opposition Congress is urging voters to go by the four-decade old tradition of voting out incumbents in Himachal Pradesh, which goes to poll on Saturday.

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Officials of district administration during a campaign to urge people to vote in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Kullu district, Friday. Credit: PTI Photo

Himachal polls: From 'double engine' to 'new engine', promises, quips made by star campaigners

As voting for Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls commences on November 12, all parties held massive campaigns for their candidates in the state. While some put their best foot forward, others were noticed lagging behind. Common factors which spiced up the battle was elaborate electoral promises and swipes at rivals.

Let us take a look at how “star campaigners” of the three main contestants - BJP, Congress and AAP - appealed to the voters in the hill state.

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All you need to know about Himachal Pradesh polls 2022

After a series of political campaigns by the competing parties, the power is now with the people of Himachal Pradesh as they decide who will govern the hill state for the next five years.

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Preparations for polling in Himachal

Google trends suggest people's loss of interest in AAP for Himachal polls

Google trends data from the past year until recently, also shows people's interest in AAP in Himachal declining, compared to BJP and Congress in the state. While the Google search pattern for AAP in Himachal was almost on par with the BJP and Congress 12 months ago, it came down significantly in the last 30 days.

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Rebels hobble BJP's effort at beating history in Himachal

Himachal Pradesh's 55 lakh electorate will vote to elect a new assembly on Saturday. Rebel candidates have hobbled the ruling BJP's target of becoming the first party since 1985 to return to power. On Friday, the eve of the polls, the BJP expelled Anu Thakur, a member of its state executive, for her "anti-party" activities. Before her, and after it announced its list of candidates in mid-October, the BJP expelled five state unit leaders, including vice president Kirpal Parmar, for working against the party's official candidates. At last count, BJP rebels are contesting against its official candidates in 21 of Himachal's 68-seats.

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Himachal polls: Key promises by star campaigners

Voting for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections began on November 12. As people head to the polls, here's a look at the key promises made by the star campaigners of various parties.

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