The principal Opposition BJP in Himachal Pradesh emerged victorious in three out of four Municipal Corporations, namely Mandi, Dharamsala, and Solan, while the ruling Congress secured a win in Palampur. The elections for these corporations were conducted on May 17 with a direct face-off between the BJP and Congress.
Apart from the Municipal Corporations, the counting of votes for 250 Zila Parishad wards and 1,684 out of 1,769 Panchayat Samiti members is currently ongoing. The BJP clinched victory in 11 out of 17 seats, leaving Congress with just five seats, and an Independent candidate winning one seat.
In Mandi, the BJP secured a decisive win by capturing 12 wards, while Congress and an Independent candidate managed to secure one ward each. Notably, one ward’s polling was boycotted by voters due to unresolved civic issues.
The BJP also secured a significant win in Solan by winning six out of the eight wards, with the Congress and an Independent candidate each winning one seat. In Palampur, out of the 10 declared wards, the Congress emerged victorious in nine.
In Dharamsala, outgoing Congress Mayor Neenu Sharma retained her ward, but the BJP candidates secured comfortable wins in other wards, reflecting public sentiment against the Congress government. BJP legislator Sudhir Sharma expressed gratitude to the voters, emphasizing the public’s growing confidence in the BJP and dissatisfaction with the Congress government’s performance.
