Shimla/New Delhi:

While Gujarat made its verdict clear early this morning – the BJP is headed for its strongest-ever result in the Prime Minister’s home state – Himachal Pradesh turned into a thriller, swinging between the Congress and the BJP.

By 11.45 am, the Congress had shot ahead to cross the majority mark of 35, but the results have been fluctuating all morning.

If the Congress wins, the hill state will have stuck to its tradition of voting out the incumbent government. For nearly four decades, it has switched between the BJP and the Congress, denying both parties a consecutive term.

Congress sources said that the party could shift its MLAs to Chhattisgarh – one of two states where it has a chief minister – if the result is not decisive to prevent their poaching by the BJP.

The leads also showed Independents gaining three-four seats. The BJP has reportedly launched an outreach to them.

These Independents – two of them BJP rebels – could be a key factor if neither party touches the majority mark of 35 in the 68-member House. Key to winning their support will be the touch of Prem Singh Dhumal, veteran BJP leader and a former Chief Minister of Himachal. The Independents are reportedly loyal to him.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Himachal Pradesh delivered a 61 per cent vote-share for the BJP – the highest in the country. 

Data for the state elections at 11.45 am showed a vote share of just about 43 per cent each for the BJP and Congress.

In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP won a comfortable majority of 44; the Congress got 21.

The Aam Aadmi Party has not won a single seat though it swept the neighbouring state of Punjab in March this year.