Rana best option for Hamirpur LS seat: Virbhadra

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today backed Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Singh Rana for the Congress ticket from Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, saying he was the strongest candidate.
Singh has conveyed his view to the Congress high command which will take a fnial decision, based on "winnability" criteria, he told reporters here.
Rana, who had won as an independent candidate after quitting BJP, was even prepared to resign his Assembly seat and join the Congress, he said.
No other Congress leader, including a minister and an MLA, whose names were discussed for the ticket were willing to contest the Lok Sabha polls, he added.

The Chief Minister said the discussions had already been held with high command on candidates for Shimla, Kangra and Mandi seats.
Candidates have been shortlisted on the bases of views expressed by party leaders and decision would be taken on sitting MPs collectively.

"We have a sitting MP in Mandi and the high command would decide on all the sitting MPs later," he said.
Commenting on BJP's prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi's reference to corruption allegations against him, Singh said, "He (Modi) was misinformed by his hosts."
The Chief Minister also said that senior Congress leaders would address rallies in the state.

"They would organise meetings across the state to ensure the victory of party's candidates in the Lok Sabha polls," he said.