Himachal Pradesh Election 2022: Dehra assembly seat has often been dominated by Independent candidates and this time was also no difference. Independent candidate Hoshyar Singh emerged victorious by defeating Congress' DR. Rajesh Sharma by a margin of 3,877 votes.
The 2017 election was also won by independent candidate Singh from here which falls under the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat.
This time, the BJP fielded Ramesh Dhawala against Congress' Dr Rajesh Sharma. Meanwhile, Col. Manish Dhiman represented the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
ASSEMBLY ELECTION 2022: FULL COVERAGE
The independent candidate edged out BJP in the 2017 polls
In the 2017 assembly polls, Independent candidate Hoshyar Singh had defeated BJP's Ravinder Singh Ravi by a margin of 3,914 votes. Singh had garnered a total of 24,2016 votes with a vote share of 44.32%. Meanwhile, his rival candidate Ravi could manage a total of 20,292 votes with a vote share of 37.16%.
However, in the 2012 assembly polls, the BJP handed a crushing defeat to an independent candidate. BJP's Ravi had defeated Yog Raj by a margin of 15,293 votes in 2012. This time too, the seat is anticipated to witness a close contest between the BJP and the independent candidate.
BJP, Congress wary of sitting Independent MLA
Both the major parties in the state, the BJP and the Congress, had to change their candidates this time in Dehra to compete with the sitting Independent MLA Hoshyar Singh.
BJP candidate Dhawala was a sitting MLA from the Jawalamukhi assembly constituency. Dhawala, who played a key role in the formation of the BJP government in 1998, has been a four-time MLA and two-time cabinet minister in the past.
At the same time, the Congress party fielded Dr Rajesh Sharma in place of senior leader Biplab Thakur. Dr Sharma has also been the party's spokesperson in the state.
The polling in Dehra was held on November 12, while the counting of votes took place on December 8, 2022.
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