Shimla: Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur on Saturday accused the Himachal Pradesh government of deliberately delaying the election of Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies to facilitate horse-trading and overturn the people’s mandate.
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Thakur alleged that the Congress government had earlier attempted to postpone the local body elections through administrative measures but was forced to conduct them following directions from the High Court and the Supreme Court. He claimed the government is now withholding the schedule for leadership elections in local bodies.
Claiming that BJP-backed candidates won around 70 percent of Panchayat Pradhan and Up-Pradhan posts, Thakur said the results reflected growing public dissatisfaction with the state government. He also claimed that the BJP secured a majority in the Dharamshala Municipal Corporation by winning 11 of the 17 seats.
The BJP leader alleged that elections for Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons have been completed in only three of the 12 Zila Parishads and in 47 of the 92 Block Development Committees. He claimed that BJP-backed candidates won 31 of these BDCs, while Congress secured 16, and alleged that polls are being delayed wherever the BJP has a majority.
Thakur also accused the government of using administrative machinery to pressure BJP-backed elected representatives through vigilance inquiries, false cases and transfers. He said the BJP is preparing a list of officers allegedly misusing their authority and would challenge such actions through legal means.
Warning of an agitation, Thakur said the BJP would take the issue “from the courts to the streets” if the government fails to immediately announce the schedule for the pending elections and, according to him, continues to interfere in the democratic process.
