The Congress wrested power from the BJP, winning 40 out of the 68 seats as the state chose to continue with the “Riwaz”, or tradition, of changing the government after every five years. The BJP won 25 seats and independents got three seats. The AAP drew a blank.
While Chief Minister Jairam Thakur won by a record 36,000-plus votes, the margin of victory was less than 1,000 in eight seats and the Congress won the Bhorang SC) seat by the lowest margin of 60 votes.
Veteran Congress leader and eight-time MLA Kaul Singh Thakur, former Congress minister and six-time MLA Asha Kumari, and former Congress minister Ram Lal Thakur, all of them eyeing the CM post, were defeated. Champa Thakur, daughter of Kaul Singh who contested from Mandi, too lost the election.