"Unlike Congress's Anand Sharma, I am down to earth," Rajeev Bhardwaj, BJP candidate from Dharamshala/Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh), Kangra Lok Sabha seat, said after filing his nomination papers on Friday.

Bhardwaj, a close relative of former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shant Kumar, has been pitted against Sharma, a four-time Rajya Sabha member and former Union minister. Sharma filed his nomination on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Bhardwaj, who was accompanied by BJP leader and former Assembly Speaker Vipan Parmar, said, "I am down to earth, I started my political career as a booth president and unlike Anand Sharma, rose to this position. reached up."

Satpal Raizada of Congress also filed his nomination from Hamirpur. He was also accompanied by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, State Congress President Pratibha Singh and former minister Ram Lal Thakur.

Former Una MLA Raizada is contesting against four-time MP and Union Minister Anurag Thakur.

Meanwhile, Congress rebel and now BJP candidate Rajendra Rana and Captain Ranji Singh, who left BJP and contested on Congress ticket, also filed nomination for Sujanpur assembly by-election.

Indradutt Lakhanpal, another Congress rebel and BJP candidate from Badsar assembly seat, also filed his nomination in the presence of Anurag Thakur.