Opposition BJP managed to retain hold over its bastion of Bhoranj as party candidate Dr Anil Dhiman defeated his Congress rival Parmila Devi by a margin of 8,290 votes.
The BJP led right from the first round of counting and its candidate Dr Dhiman secured 24,453 votes out of a total of 46,848 votes cast in the polling on April 9.Congress candidate Parmila Devi secured 16,144 votes while BJP rebel and independent candidate Pawan Kumar polled 4,630 votes in a five-cornered contest. Jubilant BJP supporters started celebration and sloganeering right from the first round when its candidate started leading.
Congress rebel Ramesh Dogra fared badly and could secure a mere 974 votes and another independent Kusum Devi got 403 votes. The counting of votes which started at 8 am was over by 11 am with the result being along expected lines. A total of 263 candidates chose NOTA (none of the above) as they did not find any candidate suitable.
The result of the Bhoranj assembly bypoll has come as a major shot in the arm for the BJP which is hoping to make a comeback in the assembly polls, due later this year. With the impressive Bhoranj victory, the BJP will now focus on doing well in the prestigious Shimla Municipal Corporation elections due next month.
Dhiman, who resigned from the health department last year to make his electoral debut, will keep the political legacy of his father, ID Dhiman, alive. The bypoll was held following the demise of six-time MLA from Bhoranj ID Dhiman on November 15, 2016. He represented Bhoranj in the Vidhan Sabha from 1990 to 2016 till his demise.This was the first assembly election contested by Congress candidate Parmila Devi, a two-time Zila Parishad member.
News Source Tribune India
