SHIMLA: Given that the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suggested to the party high command that all sitting four MPs of the state be given a second chance, Anurag Thakur seems set to get the ticket from Hamirpur parliamentary seat for the fourth consecutive term. On the other hand, the Congress is yet to zero in on a candidate from the saffron party's stronghold.Congress insiders say some leaders have even been recommending the names of their rivals since BJP has not lost the last seven Lok Sabha contests here. Names of probable candidates doing round in the Congress include: CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, former state unit chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Sujanpur MLA Rajidner Rana's son Abhishek, and Naina Devi MLA Ram Lal Thakur. With tussles not ending, the central election committee (CEC) of the Congress will take the final decision on the candidate from Hamirpur.Former chief minister P K Dhumal, who lost to Rajinder Rana in the 2017 state assembly election, is set to lead the campaign of his son Anurag. With most other Congress leaders not so keen on Hamirpur, Rana is pitching for his son Abhishek. Though he is said to have the support of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, other factions in the party's state unit are still opposing him.

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