BJP ahead in all four LS seats in Himachal Pradesh; Kangana lead by 74,925 votes

Shimla: The BJP is ahead of the Congress in all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh, according to Election Commission data.

BJP candidate from Mandi Kangana Ranaut is leading by a margin of 74,925 votes over her Congress rival Vikramaditya Singh. Union minister Anurag Thakur, seeking a fifth term from the Hamirpur seat, is ahead by a margin of 1,62,916 votes over Congress' Satpal Raizada, the EC data showed.

Former state BJP president and sitting party MP from Shimla Suresh Kashyap is leading by 88,295 votes and BJP Kangra nominee Rajiv Bhardwaj by 2,43,173 votes.

Bhardwaj's Congress rival Anand Sharma has conceded defeat.

"Contesting from Kangra was a splendid experience and I accept my defeat humbly and congratulate Rajiv Bhardwaj for his success," said Sharma, a former Union minister.

"I am thankful to the Congress party leadership and colleagues who trusted me and I accepted the party's decision knowing that Kangra was a BJP bastion," he told PTI.

"I am grateful to the people of Kangra and Chamba for their love and affection," he added.

Kashyap told PTI that the results seemed to be on the lines of exit polls and people had made up their mind to make Narendra Modi the prime minister for a third time.

State BJP chief Rajiv Bindal said people have once again given the mandate to the party.

The BJP is leading in all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh despite the fact that the Congress government misused its power, Bindal said in a video message released here.

He said this is a "major defeat" of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu who has "failed to deliver" in his government's 18-month tenure so far.

Earlier in the day, Kangana Ranaut and her rival Vikramaditya Singh prayed for their victory. While videos of Ranaut offering prayers were circulating on social media, Singh visited the Jakhoo temple with his family members.

Counting of votes began at 8 am at 80 counting centres across the state for the Lok Sabha seats and the six assembly constituencies where bypolls were held simultaneously on June 1.

The assembly constituencies where bypolls were held are Sujanpur, Dharamshala, Lahaul & Spiti, Barsar, Gagret and Kutlehar.