Elections 98

State:	Himachal Pradesh
Constituency:	Hamirpur
Total Votes Polled:	640059
Winner: BJP	Suresh Chandel	319631
Runner Up: INC	Maj.Gen. Bikram Singh	241722
Margin: 77909 (24%)

Elections 96

State:	Himachal Pradesh
Constituency:	Hamirpur
Total Votes Polled:	499881
Winner: INC	Major General Vikram Singh (Retd)	243039
Runner Up: BJP	Prem Kumar Dhumal	227926
Margin: 15113 (3.04%)

In 1984 the Rajiv wave swept aside the BJP's Prem Kumar Dhumal, but he came back in the next two elections, retaining the seat in the face of determined opposition from the Congress. The latter, however, won the 1996 election, fielding Major General Vikram Singh (retd), who wrested the constituency from Dhumal by a margin of 1,600 votes.