Shimla, May 18: Rajeev Bindal on Sunday termed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s performance in the urban local body elections as a “historic victory” and a direct public referendum against the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters Deepkamal in Shimla, Dr. Bindal questioned how the Congress party could claim victory when it had not even released an official list of its candidates during the elections. He said Congress leaders themselves had stated before the polls that party workers were free to contest independently, making the party’s post-result claims “misleading and laughable.”
The BJP state president said the party had honestly treated candidates contesting against BJP nominees as Congress-backed and presented its assessment based on ground realities. According to him, BJP won 120 out of 229 seats in 25 municipal councils across the state, while Congress secured 89 seats and others won 20. He added that BJP also performed strongly in several Nagar Panchayats and established clear leads in many urban bodies.
Dr. Bindal accused the Congress government and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of repeatedly attempting to delay the municipal and Panchayati Raj elections. He claimed that the elections, originally due in October-November 2025, were held only after intervention by the High Court and Supreme Court.
Calling the results a reflection of public anger, he alleged that people were frustrated with deteriorating law and order, rising mafia activities, stalled development projects, inflation, increased electricity and water charges, transport fare hikes and “false guarantees” made by the Congress government. He said women, youth, employees and common citizens had voted against the ruling dispensation.
The BJP leader further alleged that after the results, ministers, MLAs and officials of the Congress government were trying to intimidate BJP-supported winning councillors and influence the process of electing chairpersons and vice-chairpersons in urban bodies. He appealed to officials to remain impartial and function according to constitutional principles rather than acting as “political tools” of the ruling party.
Dr. Bindal thanked the people of Himachal Pradesh for supporting the BJP and expressed confidence that voters would continue to place their trust in the party’s commitment to service, development and good governance in future elections as well.
