Himachal Pradesh recorded its highest-ever polling percentage in the Assembly elections this year, with 74 per cent of the electorate turning up to vote, the Election Commission said, quoting figures available till 5 pm on Thursday. The previous highest polling of 73.51 per cent was recorded in the 2012 Assembly elections.

The final polling percentage may be revised as polling was still on in about 500 booths, Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena said. “In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, it was 64.45 per cent.”

Saxena said the elections were peaceful and no incident of violence was reported. A total of 11,283 VVPAT units were used in all polling booths of the 68 constituencies out of which 297 were replaced, Saxena said, adding this was well within the technical limits.

An enduring image from the 100 per cent literate hill State, famous for its impressive performance on almost every count in the Human Development Index (HDI), was from Kalpa in Kinnaur district, where India’s first voter, 101-year-old Shyam Saran Negi, cast his vote for the 15th time.

While both Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his rival, the BJP’s Prem Kumar Dhumal repeated their respective claims to form the next government, opinion polls and trends thus far have indicated a preference for the BJP in the State which has had a history of voting out incumbents.

The ruling Congress and the BJP are contesting all 68 Assembly seats while the BSP has fielded 42 candidates and the CPI(M) has put up 14 candidates.

More of the same, yet again

This has been a smooth and uneventful election with the same candidates who have dominated the fray in the last two decades challenging each other yet again, with only minor points of differences.

Since 1998, the year when Prem Kumar Dhumal was first projected as the BJP’s chief ministerial face, Congress stalwart Virbhadra Singh has been his rival.

Both contenders are fighting their last election against each other. Virbhadra is 83-year-old and Dhumal is exactly ten years younger.

Third force missing

The only slight difference in the process of electioneering in 2017 is the absence of a third factor — such as the former Telecom Minister Sukhram Sharma’s Himachal Vikas Congress in 1998 and 2003, and the BSP in 2007 which fielded candidates in almost every seat.

In 2012 too, there was a third factor in the form of Himachal Lokhit Party, which was started by former State BJP President Maheshwar Singh. The party managed to corner 4.52 per cent of the total vote share and damaged the BJP in several seats, even though it won only one seat: Kullu.

In 2012, the Congress cornered 42.81 per cent of the total votes cast, and secured 36 of the 68 seats in the Assembly. The BJP secured 38.47 per cent of the vote share and won 26 seats.

The other difference is that both the chief ministerial candidates have shifted constituencies. The six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has switched from Shimla (Rural) to Arki in Solan to make room for his son Vikramditya Singh. Vikramaditya will be contesting from his father’s traditional constituency in his debut election.

Similarly, Prem Kumar Dhumal, who contested from Hamirpur, a pocket-borough of the BJP, has decided this time to contest from Sujanpur.

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