The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a significant victory in the Mandi Municipal Corporation (MC) elections, winning 12 out of the 14 contested seats and retaining control of the civic body for a second consecutive term. The Congress party managed to win one seat, while an Independent candidate also emerged victorious.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that polling was conducted across 14 of the 15 wards of the Municipal Corporation. Residents of the Behna ward, however, boycotted the election proceedings to protest local issues, leading to no polling in that specific ward.
The election saw intense contests in various wards, with BJP candidates demonstrating strong performance and securing comfortable leads in many constituencies. The party’s overall success underscores its continued influence in the region’s urban governance.
Among the notable results, an Independent candidate, Alaknanda Handa, who was a rebel from the Congress, won from Ward No. 1 (Khaliyar). She garnered 719 votes, narrowly defeating the BJP candidate, Ranveer Singh, by a margin of just 24 votes, who secured 695 votes.
In Ward No. 2 (Purani Mandi), BJP candidate Sarita Handa emerged victorious in a close contest, securing 631 votes against Congress candidate Rekha’s 620 votes.
The BJP’s Nirmal Verma won Ward No. 3 (Paddal) with 687 votes, surpassing Congress candidate Neelam Sharma’s 568 votes.
The Congress party’s sole victory came in Ward No. 4 (Nela), where Narvada Devi defeated BJP candidate Manju Devi. Narvada Devi secured 805 votes, while Manju Devi received 682 votes.
BJP’s Krishna Thakur won Ward No. 5 (Mangwain) with 789 votes, defeating Congress candidate Rajni Chandra, who obtained 591 votes.
In Ward No. 6 (Sanyard), BJP candidate Virender Arya secured a substantial victory with 860 votes, while his Congress rival, Vinod Kumar, received 572 votes.
Ward No. 7 (Talyahar) was won by BJP’s Jitender Kumar, who secured 619 votes against Congress candidate Rupesh Kumar’s 419 votes.
BJP candidate Gurdeep Kaur won comfortably in Ward No. 8 (Palace Colony-I) with 500 votes, while Congress candidate Neemdasi secured 222 votes.
Ward No. 9 (Palace Colony-II) witnessed one of the BJP’s most decisive wins, with Suman Thakur securing 981 votes. Congress candidate Vinay Sharma received 581 votes.
In Ward No. 10 (Suhra), BJP candidate Neha Vardhan emerged victorious, securing 779 votes against Congress candidate Sushma Kumari’s 634 votes.
Ward No. 11 (Samkhetar) saw BJP’s Jitender Sharma win the seat with 860 votes. Congress candidate Gaurav Sharma finished second in the contest.
BJP candidate Gagan Kashyap won Ward No. 12 (Bhagwan), securing 636 votes, with his opponent Chander Shekhar receiving 523 votes.
Ward No. 13 (Thanehra) recorded a landslide victory for BJP’s Rajni Sharma, who obtained 977 votes, significantly ahead of Congress candidate Geetanjali Sharma’s 368 votes.
In Ward No. 15 (Dhaundhi), BJP candidate Reeta Devi won with 698 votes, defeating Congress candidate Anjay Kumari, who secured 557 votes.
The BJP’s performance in this election represents an improvement compared to the previous Municipal Corporation elections. In the last civic polls, the BJP had won 11 out of 15 seats, while the Congress had secured four seats. This year, despite elections being held for 14 wards, the BJP increased its seat tally to 12, indicating a strengthened support base within the municipal area.
Following the announcement of the results, BJP workers and supporters erupted in celebrations at the historic Paddal Ground in Mandi. Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur joined the jubilant party members. Congratulating the elected councillors, he attributed the results to the people’s trust in the BJP’s developmental policies and governance.
The election outcomes are considered a significant political endorsement for the BJP in Mandi district and reinforce the party’s established dominance in local urban bodies across the region.
The Chenab Times News Desk