Shimla, Mar 17 (Reporter) The outcome of the February 27 Rajya Sabha election in Himachal Pradesh that saw the defeat of the Congress candidate, despite the party having an absolute majority in the state Assembly, has posed a new challenge to the ruling party which now cannot spare any sitting MLA as candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha poll. Party sources state that Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was earlier contemplating to put Vinod Sultanpuri (MLA from Kasouli) in the fray from Shimla parliament (reserved) constituency. After the rebellion of six MLAs who cross-voted in the RS polls, Congress now finds it more challenging to assert its majority in the state assembly and save the government from becoming a minority, even though the rebel legislators have been disqualified by the Speaker. In this scenario, the AICC has dropped the name of Sultanpuri from the list. BJP has already finalised the name of former Air Force officer and sitting MP Suresh Kashyap from Shimla Lok Sabha seat. In the last ten years, Congress hasn't succeeded in winning the seat as Kashyap and his close relative Variender Kashyap have won the LS polls from the seat. After the defection of six Congress MLAs and withdrawal of support by the three independent legislators in the 68-member assembly, Congress now has 34 MLAs. The Election Commission of India has also announced election to six seats vacated after the disqualification of the six disqualified lawmakers. If Congress spares an MLA for Lok Sabha election it would be disastrous for the health of the state government given the party's wafer thin major in the assembly. Now Congress may rely on former two time MLA Sohan Lal who won the 2003 and 2007 assembly elections. The name of Amit Nanda, a close aide of Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh is also doing the round. "Chief minister Virbhadra Singh was a mascot and he could galvanise the voters in favour of novices. However, the party cannot take a chance now by fielding a greenhorn," analyst and former Principal of Sanskrit College Shimla Dr Mast Ram Sharma says. Issue of reservation to Hattee community, employees, pensioners, apple crop and its marketing are some of the issues that could affect the outcome of election in Shimla parliament seat. In the previous Assembly poll, the Congress won 13 out of the 17 assembly seats that make the Shimla LS constituency. The BJP won the remaining four. The Shimla (reserved) seat has around 1332289 voters, spread across 902 polling station if Shimla, 592 in Solan and 589 in Sirmour district respectively...////...