Hamirpur (HP): Himachal Pradesh is ready to hold the Vidhan Sabha elections any time this year, Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary RD Dhiman told the Election Commission during a virtual meeting.
An official spokesman told UNI that on Tuesday that the Election Commission held virtual talks with the officers of the states of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh to know about their election preparedness.
Himachal is slated for polls in November. In 2017, the state assembly elections were held on November 9th.
The spokesman said the poll panel enquired about the Covid condition in the state and Dhiman said that in the last 15 days, there has been a significant reduction in coronavirus cases in the state. The infection rate was only one per cent.
At present 358 people are positive in the state. Only 15 people are admitted to hospitals. Life here has also become normal. In such a situation, assembly elections can be held here, he added.
The authorities at the district/sub divisional level have also geared up for the elections much ahead of the announcement of the election dates, the Chief Secretary said.
Leaders of all political parties in the state are already in poll-mode. The BJP, Congress and AP are likely to announce the names of their candidates either in the last week of this month or in the first week of October, according to sources in these parties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Mandi on September 24 to address a youth rally. BJP chief JP Nadda will also be visiting all the four parliamentary constituencies of the state and address public meetings there.
AAP leaders have also toured the state recently and senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi will visit the state later this month.