Himachal Pradesh: Pro-Incumbency Helps the BJP

Factionalism in the state Congress and a positive appraisal of the two-year old Prem Kumar Dhumal-led government in Himachal Pradesh helped the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party garner three out of the four Lok Sabha seats in the state. The privileging of local/state level issues over the national also helped ensure the BJP buck its national trend.