Shimla, Oct 19 (IANS): The state ruling BJP on Wednesday released its first list of 62 out of 68 candidates for the November 12 Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh with many surprise seat changes of senior legislators, and 11 lawmakers not getting the party's renomination.
Seats of sitting ministers -- Suresh Bhardwaj and Rakesh Pathania -- have been changed.
Five women candidates figure in the list, while 11 Scheduled Caste and eight Scheduled Tribe candidates have got the party's nomination to enter the fray.
Bhardwaj seat was changed from his stronghold Shimla (Urban) to Kasumpti, the seat located on the suburbs of the state capital. Also, Pathania's seat has changed from Nurpur to Fatehpur, both seats are located in Kangra, the largest district.
First-time Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who is leading the election campaign, has been retained from his stronghold Seraj in Mandi district.
The women candidates are Sarveen Choudhary from Shahpur, Indira Kapoor from Chamba, Reeta Dhiman from Indora, Reena Kashyap from Pachhad and Shashi Bala from Rohru.
The voting for the 68 Assembly seats will be held on November 12, and the counting of ballots will be on December 8.
The last date for the filing of nominations is October 25.
A day earlier, the main opposition Congress released its first list of 46 candidates.