KEYLONG: The landlocked Lahaul-Spiti belt has experienced the  snowfall last night  that has sent winter chill  plummeting not only in the valley but in other parts of Himachal Pradesh as well, bringing joys to tourists and voters in this election month.  

The polling parties face snow while reaching many polling stations located in the higher reaches, where the snowfall is heavy. 

The snowfall has brought campaigning to a halt even as candidates are going house to house seeking votes in the areas where they were halted. 

The Manali-Keylong-Leh highway has been closed beyond Darcha for the traffic. Keylong-Tandi-Udaipur-Killar -Sansara Nala highway is opened as there was a lean layer of snow. 

Tourists are making beeline for Manali and Lahaul which is now connected with Atal Tunnel to enjoy the first snowfall of the season.

BRO and PWD have swung into action launching the snow clearing operation to make the election hassle free and fair for the voters.  

Lahaul-Spitti tribal assembly is witnessing a triangular fight among Ravi Thakur(Congress), Dr Ram Lal Markande BJP and Sudarshan Jaspa (AAP) for the first time.

Dr Markande faces anti-incumbency while Ravi Thakur also is finding Lahauli peaks steeper in the presence of Jaspa, a new comer, who has been working among the tribals as a social workers.

The voters have flagged main issues to the contestants seeking their stand on these issue.

The main issues include Nau Taur land for the tribals, scrapping of the  hydropower projects in the valley, specialist doctors in Keylong, Udaipur and Kaza hospitals, speeding up of construction of the Grambhu-Samdoh highway that links Lahaul with Spiti and Kinnaur.

The work has been hanging fire for over a decade even under the double engine government, rued the tribal voters.