The prominent names in the first list included CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri from Haroli, Asha Kumari from Dalhousie, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu from Nadaun and Kaul Singh Thakur from Darang.
In the absence of a strong third front, the BJP in the 2017 Assembly elections had won 44 seats and formed the government, whereas Congress won only 21 seats.