Shimla, Oct 15 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday selected candidates for the Nov 7 assembly by-elections for two seats in Himachal Pradesh.
“The party high command Thursday cleared the names of the candidates for the by-elections,” state BJP president Khimi Ram told IANS.

Baldev Raj and Khushi Ram Balnatah would be the party’s candidates from Rohru and Jawali constituencies, respectively, he added.

Rohru and Jawali fell vacant after the respective legislators from there - Virbhadra Singh and Rajan Sushant - contested and won the Lok Sabha elections in May.

Sources in the party said the naming of Baldev Raj for Jawali has come as blow to Sushant’s wife, Sudha Sushant, who was a strong contender for the ticket.

Sushant had already begun her election campaign. However, her husband refused to comment on the BJP’s decision.

“I have nothing to say regarding the decision of the party,” he said.

The Congress is yet to announce its candidates.

Pratibha Singh, wife of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, is eyeing the ticket for Rohru seat whereas Sujan Singh Pathania is hoping to contest from Jawali.

Meanwhile, no candidate filed their nomination papers even on the second day for doing so.

“On the second day for filing the nomination papers, no candidate has filed the papers,” Himachal Chief Electoral Officer Anil Khachi said.

He said the last date for filing papers is Oct 21 and the election would take place Nov 7.

In the 2007 elections to the 68-member assembly, the BJP had won 41 seats, the Congress 23, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one and independents three seats. The BSP legislator later joined the BJP.