Mandi by-election: Jairam Thakur to represent BJP

BJP today announced the name of former Himachal Pradesh minister Jairam Thakur for the upcoming Mandi Parliamentary bye-election.
BJP President Rajnath Singh approved the recommendations of party's HP election committee regarding the bye-election by clearing the name of Thakur.
Jairam Thakur was Cabinet minister in Prem Kumar Dhumal-led BJP ministry in Himachal Pradesh and held the rural development and panchayati raj portfolio. He represents Mandi in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly.
Thakur is currently legislator from Seraj Assembly segment of Mandi district. He had won his first election in 1998, and after that continued his winning spree.
The Mandi Parliamentary seat fell vacant after Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh resigned from the seat to contest the Assembly polls and brought the Congress back to power in the hill state.

Congress is now seeking to nominate Virbhadra Singh's wife Pratibha Singh for the Mandi seat. She has represented the seat earlier.
The Mandi bye-election will be held on June 23 and counting will take place on June 27.
The necessary notification for the bypoll will be issued on May 29. The last date of making nominations is June 5 and after scrutiny on June 6. The last date for withdrawals is June 8.