Cong to release first list of 57 candidates for Himachal polls

The Congress will release on Sunday the first list of 57 candidates for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls slated for November 12.

The remaining 11 candidates will be announced soon, AICC Himachal media in-charge Alka Lama in a statement. The voting for the 68 assembly seats in the hill state is scheduled to take place on November 12 while the counting will take place on December 8.

In the Assembly, the BJP currently has 43 members followed by 22 of the Congress. There are two Independents and one CPM MLA in the Assembly.

A direct contest between the BJP and the Congress is likely in the state, where the Aam Aadmi Party will also be trying its luck.

A notification for the state elections will be issued on October 17 and the last date for the filing of nominations is October 25.

Scrutiny of papers will be held on October 27 and the last date for the withdrawal of papers will be October 29.

As many as 55,74,793 people are eligible to vote in the polls.