New Delhi, June 1: The BJP has gained a significant lead in the local elections in Himachal Pradesh. Jairam Thakur, the Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister, described the election results as a mandate against the Congress government, targeting Chief Minister Sukhu. He accused the government of attempting to delay the elections due to fears of losing.
In a conversation, Thakur stated that these elections were originally scheduled for November. However, the Chief Minister was aware that if the elections were held, Congress would face defeat, potentially causing issues for the government. Consequently, the government made efforts to postpone the elections, even implementing the Disaster Act in the state. Following this, the BJP approached the High Court and subsequently the Supreme Court, which ordered the elections to proceed.
Thakur noted that the Chief Minister’s fears were justified, as the results from the municipal councils, municipal corporations, and panchayat elections showed a clear lead for the BJP. Approximately 70% of the panchayat heads elected were BJP-supported candidates. Elections were held for municipal corporations in Mandi, Dharamshala, Palampur, and Solan, where the BJP won three out of four with a substantial majority. In Mandi, Congress secured only one seat.
He emphasized that the mandate clearly indicates the people’s desire to remove the Congress government. The Chief Minister is attempting to argue that the panchayat elections were not held under party symbols; however, the municipal elections were party-symbol based, and Congress faced defeat in those.
Thakur also criticized Sukhu, stating that in the district council elections, the BJP won three out of four seats in the Chief Minister’s constituency, leaving him with only one seat.
It is noteworthy that the BJP achieved victories in three out of four municipal corporations—Mandi, Dharamshala, and Solan—while the ruling Congress managed to win only in Palampur. Voting for all four municipal corporations took place on May 17, with a direct contest between the BJP and Congress.
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