HP polls: BJP suffers setback in three out of four parliamentary constituencies
Shimla (PTI): The BJP, which won 25 seats in the Himachal Pradesh elections, suffered a setback in the assembly segments falling under Shimla, Hamirpur and Kangra parliamentary constituencies in the hill state.
However, the party put up a good show in Mandi Lok Sabha constituency.
The Congress wrested Himachal Pradesh from the BJP, winning 40 seats in the 68-member Assembly. The results of the November 12 assembly elections were declared on Thursday.
The promise of restoration of the old pension scheme proved to be a shot in the arm for the Congress, while the issues of apple growers marred the BJP's prospects in about 20 seats.
The voters were upset over the rising unemployment and inflation and there was a strong anti-incumbency against the government, political observers said.
"Restoration of the old pension scheme is the major demand of employees. Besides, people are feeling the pinch of rising prices of commodities," said a political science professor of Himachal Pradesh University who did not wish to be named.
The popularity of Chief Minister Jairam Thakur helped the BJP sail through assembly segments in Mandi constituency. The Congress, which won the Mandi Lok Sabha seat last year, was in for a jolt here and could secure only five out of the 17 seats.
The 17 assembly segments under Mandi parliamentary constituency are Rampur (SC), Kinnaur (ST), Lahaul and Spiti (ST), Bharmor (ST), Manali, Kullu, Banjjar, Anni (SC), Karsog (SC), Sundernagar, Nachan, (SC), Seraj, Drang, Jogindernagar, Mandi, Balh (SC) and Sarkaghat.
Unemployment, inflation, poor governance, and train service to Hamirpur from Una were the major issues in Hamirpur parliamentary constituency.
The people were also unhappy as Hamirpur was not given representation in the cabinet and former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal was sidelined. This cost the BJP heavily and the Congress and Independents won 13 out of the 17 assembly seats in this parliamentary segment.
The assembly seats falling under Hamirpur parliamentary constituency are Dharampur, Dehra, Jwalamukhi, Bhoranj (SC), Sujanpur, Hamirpur, Barsar, Nadaun, Chintpurni (SC), Gagret, Haroli, Una, Kutlehar, Ghumarwin, Bilaspur, Sri Naina Devi Ji and Jandutta (SC).
In Kangra parliamentary constituency, missing contact with the masses and ignoring the Brahmins, who constitute 20-21 per cent of the voters in the region, in ticket allocation did not go well with the voters.
With 17 assembly seats, Kangra is the deciding factor in Himachal elections and the people were angry as development work was centred in Mandi district. The Congress and the BJP got 11 and six seats respectively in this parliamentary segment.
Kangra Lok Sabha constituency comprises Churah (SC), Chamba, Dalhousie, Bhattiyat, Nurpur, Indora (SC), Fatehpur, Jwali, Jaswan-Pragpur, Jaisingpur, Sulah, Nagrota, Kangra, Shahpur, Dharamsala, Palampur and Baijnath (SC) assembly segments.
The BJP was virtually washed out in Shimla parliamentary constituency and could win only three seats while the Congress registered victory in 13 seats and an Independent won in one seat.
The constituency comprises Arki, Nalagarh, Doon, Solan (SC), Kasauli (SC), Pachhad (SC), Nahan, Sri Renukaji,(SC), Paonta, Shillai, Chopal, Theog, Kusumpti, Shimla(Urban), Shimla(Rural), Jubbal-Kotkhai and Rohroo(SC) assembly seats where 100 per cent import duty on apple and increase in production cost with 18 per cent GST on packaging material were major poll issues.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
