'Clear message for 2027 Assembly polls': BJP's Surat Negi hails victory in Himachal local body polls, party workers celebrate

BJP won the polls in Dharamshala, Mandi and Solan, while Congress won Palampur municipal corporation, as results were declared on Sunday. The voting for the civic body elections in Himachal Pradesh was held on May 17.

In Mandi, the BJP won 12 of the 14 wards, while Congress secured one. The party won 10 of the 17 wards in Mandi, restricting Congress to six. The BJP swept the Dharamshala Municipal Corporation, winning 11 wards out of a total of 17. Congress won five wards, whereas one was secured by an independent candidate.

BJP candidates also won nine out of 10 seats in the Zila Parishad elections.

BJP leader and former state vice president, Surat Negi, termed the local body polls as a semi-final to the Assembly elections next year, calling the Congress government "incapable of taking public sentiment into account."

Negi said, "I want to thank the people of Kinnaur. The blessings they have bestowed upon the BJP candidates have never been seen before. This is a first in Kinnaur's history, and for that, I want to congratulate the BJP workers and their members. These candidates will fully fulfil the people's sentiments and aspirations. Congress used to say that this was the semi-final. If this is the semi-final, I think they should walk out of the final. Because the people of Kinnaur have sent a clear message that they will bless the BJP in 2027, as the Congress government has proven completely incapable of taking public sentiment into account."

BJP's Nisha Thakur, who won a ward in the Kullu Municipal Council elections, thanked the electors and party leaders for their support.

Nisha Thakur said, "I am deeply grateful to the people of the 18 Panchayats for their support and votes. I urge them to maintain their faith in me; I will keep standing for them and with them through everything. I achieved this position today with the support of BJP leaders and workers."

However, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday rejected the BJP's claims of a sweeping victory in the recently concluded urban local body elections, asserting that the Congress had emerged as the leading party by winning 29 out of 53 Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat contests across the state.

Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Sukhu said the BJP's attempts to portray the results as a mandate against the Congress government were "misleading" and not supported by the actual figures.

"Out of 53 urban local body elections, Congress has won 29, BJP has won 21 and three bodies have returned a hung verdict. These are the facts. BJP's claims of a major victory are not based on reality," the Chief Minister said.

Sukhu questioned the BJP's interpretation of the results, particularly its celebration of victory in the Mandi Municipal Corporation. He said the outcome in Mandi reflected the influence of local leaders, especially MLA Anil Sharma, rather than a personal victory for Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur. (ANI)