Shimla, Jun 4 (PTI) BJP candidate Rajiv Bharadwaj on Tuesday won the Kangra Lok Sabha seat, defeating former Union minister and Congress nominee Anand Sharma by a margin of 2,51,895 votes.
Bharadwaj, a close relative of former chief minister Shanta Kumar, polled 6,32,793 votes against 3,80,898 votes garnered by Sharma.
Making his debut in the elections at 62, the grassroots BJP worker, who is a doctor by profession, connected with the electorate as a local while Sharma hailing from Shimla carried an “outsider” tag.
Focusing on his five-year agenda for Kangra, Bharadwaj based his campaigning around local issues, besides highlighting the works of the Modi government and the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Conceding his defeat, Sharma, a four-times Rajya Sabha member, said, “Contesting from Kangra was a splendid experience. I accept my defeat humbly and congratulate Rajiv Bharadwaj for his success.” “I am thankful to the Congress leadership and colleagues who trusted me and I accepted the party’s decision despite knowing that Kangra was a BJP bastion,” he told PTI.
“I am grateful to the people of Kangra and Chamba for their love and affection,” he added.
The Kangra parliamentary constituency has 13 assembly segments of Kangra district and four of Chamba district. PTI BPL KVK KVK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.