BJP wins in HP but its chief-ministerial candidate loses

The BJP has a lot to cheer about in Himachal Pradesh where it has won two-thirds majority in the State Assembly polls, results of which were announced today.

BJP secured an absolute two-thirds majority whereas the ruling Congress has been voted out of power and managed to secure only 20 seats.  Virbhadra Singh, the longest serving chief-minister of the State, is likely to tender his resignation tomorrow after which the Governor is likely to ask the BJP to form the next government in the State.

BJP, however, received a major setback when its chief-ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost the polls from Sujanpur by a margin of less than 3,000 votes to the Congress candidate.  Except this single aberration, the BJP has managed to rewrite history in the State by unseating the Congress.

Counting of words commenced at 08:00 a.m. in the morning and it has been announced that the BJP has won 44 out of the 68 Assembly seats in the States.  Congress won 20 seats whereas independents and others won in 4 seats.  The BJP is now to look for a new chief-minister as its chief-ministerial candidate Dhumal has lost the polls.