Kangra Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Voting date, results, candidates, main parties and schedule

The Kangra Lok Sabha constituency in Himachal Pradesh encompasses 17 assembly seats, namely Churah, Chamba, Dalhousie, Bhatiyat, Nurpur, Indora, Fatehpur, Jwali, Jwalamukhi, Jaysinghpur, Sulah, Nagrota, Kangra, Shahpur, Dharamshala, Palampur, and Baijnath. With a total of 12.58 lakh voters, including 6.45 lakh male voters and 6.12 lakh female voters, Kangra holds significant political importance in Himachal Pradesh. Situated between the Baner and Manjhi rivers, it has historically played a crucial role in the state's politics.

Initially, the Kangra Lok Sabha seat was a stronghold of the Congress party. In the 1951 polls, Hemraj from Congress emerged victorious and served as a Member of Parliament for four consecutive terms until 1967. In 1971, Vikram Chand from Congress secured the seat. However, the political landscape shifted in 1977 when the seat went to the Bharatiya Lok Dal (BLD). Congress regained control in 1980, with Vikram Chand winning again. In 1984, Chandresh Kumari of Congress managed to retain the seat.

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The year 1989 marked a significant milestone as the BJP won the Kangra seat for the first time, with Shanta Kumar securing victory. In 1991, Shanta Kumar became the Chief Minister, leading to a bypoll where DD Khanoria, also from the BJP, emerged victorious. Congress made a comeback in 1996 with Sat Mahajan winning the election. However, the BJP regained the seat in 1998 and 1999 with Shanta Kumar, who also served as a Union Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

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The political pendulum swung again in 2004 when Congress's Chandar Kumar defeated Shanta Kumar. Nonetheless, the BJP managed to reclaim the Kangra seat in 2009. The economy of this region relies heavily on agriculture and small cottage industries, while its scenic location in the lap of the Himalayas makes it a popular tourist destination.