Himachal Pradesh

Party observers -- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda and AICC in-charge for state Rajiv Shukla -- earlier in the day met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to hand over list of MLAs showing the strength to form the government.

"There was no doubt in anyone's mind about the Gujarat verdict... All the power of the country was used to achieve that, decisions were taken specifically to favour one state, efforts were made to divert many development projects there," said NCP President Sharad Pawar. State Congress President Nana Patole said that barring Gujarat, the other election outcomes have been satisfactory, particularly in Himachal Pradesh, where the Congress ousted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the home-state of its president J.P. Nadda.

Acknowledging the adverse mandate, outgoing Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, under whose leadership the BJP went into the polls, told the media here: "I respect the people's mandate and I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Central leadership during last five years. We will stand for the development of the state irrespective of politics. We will also analyse our shortcomings and improve during the next term."

Setting aside rumours of horse-trading to stake claim to form the government, plain speaking Thakur, who retained his Seraj Assembly seat for the sixth consecutive term with a record margin, said he respected the mandate of the people. "It is for the Congress to keep its flock (of legislators) together," he replied when questioned about the chances of poaching the Congress legislators by the BJP.

"We will form a government with a full majority...She (Pratibha Singh) is one of the contenders for the CM post," said Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh, who retained his Shimla (Rural) seat. He is the son of six-time chief minister and veteran leader late Virbhadra Singh. However, state party chief Pratibha Singh has not contested the poll.

Coming out openly after retaining his Shimla (Rural) seat for the second consecutive term, Vikramaditya Singh said, "We will form a government with a full majority. She (Pratibha Singh) is one of the contenders for the CM post." Singh is the son of Pratibha Singh, who has not contested the assembly poll. She is currently a Member of Parliament from Mandi.

According to sources, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is personally monitoring the situation. She has deputed Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for the purpose, while state Incharge of the state Rajeev Shukla is in the process of talking to each elected MLA personally.

It crossed the half-way mark and was leading in 38 seats at around 11.40 a.m. The ruling BJP was leading in 33 seats earlier but, gradullay slid to 26 and had won one seat. The independents were leading in three constituencies. Independents, all BJP rebels, are Hoshiyar Singh from Dehra, Hiteshwar Singh from Banjar in Kullu and Ashish in Hamirpur Sadar, once the stronghold of two-time Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. As Himachal Pradesh has not returned any incumbent government to power in nearly four decades, early trends of ballot count indicated the Congress leading in the 68-member Assembly.

Trends at around 10.15 a.m. showed that the Congress was leading in 31 seats with the BJP on equal number. Four independents were also leading from their respective constituencies. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, 57, was leading in his stronghold Seraj in Mandi district. Likewise, Congress prominent leaders Mukesh Agnihotri, 60, and Sukhvinder Sukhu, 58, were leading from Haroli and Nadaun seats respectively.

A woman died after a man cut off her breasts, hands, legs and ears with a sharp weapon at a public market. The incident took place on Saturday at the Pirpainti market in Bhagalpur district. Speaking at the Lok Sabha on the opening day of the Winter Session of Parliament, Jaiswal accused the SSP of Bhagalpur of shielding the accused.