Himachal Deputy CM's daughter cites mother's death, refuses to contest elections

Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh): Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri's daughter Aastha Agnihotri on Thursday declined to contest the elections, citing the death of her mother in February to stay away from electoral politics.

Talk of the Congress fielding Aastha Agnihotri from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency, where the BJP has renominated four-time MP Anurag Thakur, or the Gagret assembly segment had gathered steam after Mukesh Agnihotri reportedly expressed reluctance to contest the polls for personal reasons following the death of his wife Simmi Agnihotri.

In a message posted on her Facebook account, Aastha Agnihotri said, "I am trying to find a way to live in my mother Prof Simmi Agnihotri's absence. In these sad times, I don't have the desire to enter the Lok Sabha or the Vidhan Sabha."

She also shared a video of her interaction with the media in which she expressed her reluctance to contest the polls.

"Above politics, the memories of my mother have shaken me from the inside. This is a time to offer homage to her and certainly not to contest an election. I am grateful to the Congress high command and everyone else for this proposal," she further said in the post.

Earlier in the day, Mukesh Agnihotri posted a similar message from Aastha Agnihotri -- a law PhD from Himachal Pradesh University -- on his verified Facebook page.

Simmi Agnihotri (56) died on February 9 following a heart attack.

The Congress has nominated PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh from Mandi and Kasauli MLA Vinod Sultanpuri as its candidate from Shimla.

Former minister Asha Kumari and former MLA Satpal Raizada are the frontrunners to contest from the Kangra and the Hamirpur seats.

Himachal Pradesh's four Lok Sabha seats will go to the polls in the last phase on June 1.