Mandi, June 18: Leader of Opposition and former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday claimed a historic victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Panchayati Raj elections, stating that BJP-backed candidates were elected unopposed as chairpersons and vice-chairpersons in all three Panchayat Samitis of the Seraj Assembly constituency.
Addressing a gathering at Janjehli after the unanimous election of Panchayat Samiti office-bearers, Thakur said the outcome marked an unprecedented achievement in the political history of the region. He alleged that the Congress failed to find candidates even for the posts of chairperson and vice-chairperson in the three Panchayat Samitis.
Recalling his tenure as Panchayati Raj Minister and later as Chief Minister, Thakur said that even during those years the party had not witnessed such overwhelming support at the grassroots level.
He said Janjehli block falls entirely within the Seraj Assembly constituency, while Bali Chowki and Gohar blocks share boundaries with the Drang and Nachan Assembly segments respectively. Thakur thanked newly elected representatives for respecting the party’s decisions and maintaining unity during the election process.
The BJP leader also announced that several newly elected members would be entrusted with key responsibilities within the party organisation in the future to further strengthen the BJP at the grassroots level.
Taking a swipe at political practices of the past, Thakur said elected representatives earlier had to be protected from alleged poaching attempts by rival parties. However, he claimed that the loyalty of party workers and public support ensured that no such situation arose this time.
Thanking voters for backing the BJP in the Panchayati Raj elections, Thakur described the results as a victory of party workers’ dedication and hard work. He expressed confidence that the newly elected chairpersons and vice-chairpersons would play a positive role in accelerating development across the region.
Targeting the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Thakur said the Panchayati Raj poll results had sent a clear political message that the people of Himachal Pradesh were standing firmly with the BJP at the grassroots level.
Claiming that more than 70 per cent of Panchayat representatives across the state were BJP-backed, he challenged the Chief Minister to disclose how many elected representatives were aligned with the Congress.
Thakur further alleged that employees, youth and farmers were dissatisfied with the state government’s functioning and asserted that the public mandate reflected growing discontent against the ruling Congress.
He said the BJP would return to power in Himachal Pradesh with a full majority in the future and claimed that development would gain “triple-engine” momentum when BJP governments function at the Panchayat, state and central levels.
