Shimla: BJP’s chief ministerial face for the Himachal Pradesh polls, Prem Kumar Dhumal, was defeated on Monday from the Sujanpur Assembly seat even as his party appeared set to form the government in the hill state.
The former chief minister lost to his Congress rival Rajinder Singh Rana by about 3,500 votes.
Dhumal accepted his defeat and said that the result was unexpected and the party would do introspection. He congratulated the winners and party workers for the spectacular victory in the state polls.
Meanwhile, Varinder Kanwar, who won from Kutlehar in Una district, offered to vacate his seat for Dhumal.
On the contrary, Congress leader and Himachal Pradesh’s outgoing chief minister Virbhadra Singh won the Arki Assembly seat in Solan, defeating Rattan Singh Pal of the BJP, according to the Election Commission.
The 83-year-old party leader won by a margin of 6,051 votes. He polled 34,499 votes against Pal’s 28,448, the EC website said. The Assembly elections were held in the state on November 9.
