HP electorate gives split verdict over royal candidates

The electorate in Himachal Pradesh gave a split verdict over the candidates from erstwhile Royal families with four of them winning the polls and three facing defeat.

Of the seven candidates with royal lineage, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, his son Vikramaditya Singh and niece Asha Kumari won from Arki, Shimla(Rural) and Dalhousie respectively.

However, Maheshwar Singh from the erstwhile Royal family of Kullu and his nephew Aditya Vikram Singh lost from twin constituencies of Kullu and Banjar constituencies as BJP and Congress candidates.

Vijay Jyoti Sen of the BJP from the erstwhile Keonthal state was humbled by Anirudh Singh, scion of the erstwhile Koti state.

The CPI(M) made its presence felt by winning the Theog seat after 24 years. The party had won one seat in 1962, 1972 and 1993, but drew a blank in successive polls.

All other parties failed to open their account.

The vote share of BJP increased from 38.47 in 2012 polls to 48.8 per cent and the party won 18 seats more, while marginal decline of 1.51 per cent from 43.21 to 41.7 per cent, cost the ruling Congress 15 seats.

Out of the 16 reserved seats, the Congress could win only four seats while the BJP bagged 12 seats.

BJP also wrested two out of three seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes.