2022 Assembly elections: Congress ousts BJP to claim Himachal Pradesh
The Congress, riding on anti-incumbency and groupism of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), emerged as the single largest party in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday. It secured 40 seats to breach the majority mark. The BJP, on the other hand, came close second with 25 seats as counting ended. While others scored three seats, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could not make a dent in the tally.
Why does this story matter?
In Himachal, the two main competitors, the BJP and the Congress, were dealing with internal challenges, particularly the BJP cadre rebellion. The Congress had no electoral face in the state, and several leaders were furious with the high command for disregarding the Himalayan state. The poll of polls had predicted a BJP win despite losing some votes. However, Congress claimed to secure a majority.
Rebels Independents could not create an impact
According to the Election Commission, the BJP won 25 seats while the Congress gained 40, including seats formerly held by saffron party members. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on the other hand, performed poorly and failed to open its account in the key elections. Few Independent candidates, including those who had rebelled from the BJP, won their seats.
Exit polls predicting hung assembly proved wrong
Leading exit polls had predicted a hung Assembly in Himachal Pradesh. The India Today-Axis My India had predicted no party getting a clear majority, with both BJP and Congress failing to cross the majority mark. It had predicted 24-34 seats for BJP and 30 seats for Congress, while AAP getting negligible numbers. On the other hand, the poll of polls had predicted BJP win.
How parties performed in last election
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the voter turnout was 75.57% and BJP bagged 44, Congress got 21, and CPI(M) managed one seat. Apart from these, two Independent candidates also won. The BJP formed the government with a clear majority.
