Shimla: BJP MLA and party spokesperson Ashish Sharma launched a scathing attack on the Congress government over the Panchayat Raj elections, alleging that Congress has been conspiring from the very beginning to delay the polls. He said that even after clear directions from the Hon’ble Himachal Pradesh High Court to conduct the elections before April 30, the Congress government is still attempting to influence and slow down the election process under one pretext or another.
Ashish Sharma said that Panchayat Raj elections, which were originally scheduled for January, were deliberately postponed due to the ill intentions of the Congress government. He added that after the intervention of the High Court, the government is now under pressure to hold the elections, yet Congress leaders and the administrative machinery continue to create confusion to delay the process further.
He alleged that the Congress government has repeatedly tried to defer the elections by citing different reasons, including disaster-related laws, delimitation, and administrative procedures. This, he said, clearly shows that Congress fears democracy and wants to weaken Panchayati Raj institutions as it is apprehensive about losing public support at the grassroots level.
The BJP spokesperson further stated that there has been a continuous confrontation between constitutional institutions and the state government. Despite repeated warnings from the State Election Commission to conduct the elections on time, the Congress government ignored them, ultimately forcing the Hon’ble High Court to issue strict orders.
“It is unfortunate that even today, despite the High Court’s directions, the Congress government is trying to delay the elections by citing technical issues and inventing new excuses. This reflects not only disregard for the court’s authority but also Congress’s insensitive attitude towards democracy,” Sharma said.
He asserted that Panchayati Raj institutions are the foundation of democracy and that the BJP will not allow them to be weakened under any circumstances. He said the BJP has always stood for timely elections, transparency and democratic values, and will continue to expose every anti-election move of the Congress government.
Ashish Sharma concluded by stating that the Congress government must now fulfill its constitutional responsibility and fully comply with the High Court’s orders. He emphasized that the Panchayat Raj elections cannot be postponed any further and said that the BJP is closely monitoring the situation and will firmly stand to protect the democratic rights of the people.
