Six-time Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Friday filed his nomination from the Arki Assembly constituency in Solan district for the November 9 State elections.

Singh had vacated his Shimla (rural) seat for his son Vikramaditya Singh.

Hundreds of supporters and party workers greeted the Chief Minister outside the office of the assistant returning officer.

This is for the fourth time that the 83-year-old Congress leader has shifted his constituency.

He had contested from Jubbal and Kotkhai in 1983 and 1985, Rohroo in 1990, 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2007, and shifted to Shimla Rural in 2012 after the Rohroo seat was reserved for Schedule Caste.

‘Note ban, GST has hurt’

After filing his nominations, Virbhadra said the Congress would contest the upcoming elections on the development plank and return to power with a comfortable majority.

“The decision of demonetisation and hasty implementation of the Goods and Service tax (GST) will cost the BJP heavily as it has caused harassment and hardship to both traders and the common man,” he said.

Prices have gone up after GST, while traders are up in arms against the new tax system, Virbhadra said.

Taking a dig at his party rival and Himachal Congress chief Sukkhwinder Singh Sukhu, who is contesting from Naudan, the Chief Minister said, “As per rules, the State Congress president should manage polls instead of contesting them. But if he (Sukhwinder) has decided to enter the fray, someone else should be made the State party chief for smooth conduct of elections.”

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