By IANS
Shimla : Raghbir Singh, the sitting Congress legislator from Himachal Pradesh’s tribal seat of Lahaul and Spiti, decided to contest the upcoming assembly elections as an independent after he was denied a party ticket. And the buzz now is that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is trying to rope him into its fold.
The Congress fielded Phung Chuk Rai from Lahual and Spiti instead of Singh. The move angered Singh and he soon announced he would contest as an independent.
The BSP has recently made an entry into the hill state and is trying to emerge as the third force. Former Congress tourism minister Vijay Singh Mankotia is heading the party in the state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meanwhile released its list candidates for the first phase of Vidhan Sabha polls Monday. Tulsi Ram will be the party’s candidate from Bharmaur, Tejwant Singh Negi from Kinnaur and Ram Lal Markandey from Lahaul and Spiti.
A day earlier, the Congress declared its list with two sitting legislators Thakur Singh Bharmauri from Bharmaur and Jagat Singh Negi from Kinnaur as its candidates, apart from Phung Chuk Rai.
The first phase of polling is scheduled to take place in the three seats of Bharmaur, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur Nov 14. These areas often get snow-bound early in the winter. Voting for the other 65 seats will be held Dec 19.