The Congress can breathe a sigh of relief after party rebel and veteran Congressman Mathu Ram Bushehari decided to withdraw his nomination in the prestigious Rohru Assembly seat. The Rohru bypoll is slated for November 7 with estranged Virbhadra loyalist Manjit Singh being fielded by the Congress and Khushi Ram Balnata by the BJP. Balnata has never won an election here

However, the BJP’s troubles at Jawali —which is also going to the polls along with Rohru — are far from over. Rebel Madan Lal — brother of sitting Lok Sabha member Dr Rajan Sushant — is defying the party to stay in the contest and is reportedly mobilising a section of disgruntled party leaders making things difficult for official BJP candidate Baldev Raj Chaudhary. Congress has fielded Sujan Singh Pathania, a former minister at Jawali while Independents Ashok Kumar Somal and Madan Lal are also in the fray. Only eight candidates have been left in the fray for both the constituencies.