Congress Dominates Kangra, Chamba Urban Local Body Polls; BJP Faces Setbacks

The Congress party has secured significant victories in the urban local body elections held across Kangra and Chamba districts, demonstrating a strong performance in key Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats. The results are being interpreted as a substantial morale boost for the ruling party in the region, particularly as it anticipates the state Assembly elections next year.

Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that in the Kangra Municipal Council, candidates supported by the Congress party achieved a sweeping victory, winning eight out of the nine contested wards. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure only a single seat. This decisive win followed an intensive campaign by Congress leaders and party workers, which strategically focused on addressing local civic issues and engaging directly with voters. Despite a concerted campaigning effort, the BJP was unable to achieve notable gains in this urban body.

Further reinforcing the Congress’s strong showing, the Dehra Municipal Council saw Congress-backed candidates win five of the seven wards. The BJP secured the remaining two seats. In Jawalamukhi, the Congress also demonstrated considerable strength, with its supported candidates winning seven out of the nine wards, leaving the BJP with two seats.

The Congress also made significant inroads in the Shahpur Nagar Panchayat, where its supported candidates claimed victory in five out of seven wards, while BJP-backed candidates secured two wards. However, the BJP managed to secure a win in the Nagrota Bagwan Municipal Council, with BJP-backed candidates winning four out of seven wards, while Congress-backed candidates secured three seats. This result offered a measure of relief to the BJP in Kangra district, particularly after experiencing setbacks in the Kangra and Shahpur urban bodies.

Reacting to the election outcomes, Shahpur MLA and Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania stated that the results signify the public’s trust in the development-focused policies of the state government, headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Pathania attributed the success to the united efforts of Congress workers at the grassroots level and the voters’ preference for development and public welfare initiatives.

In Chamba district, Congress-backed candidates also managed to gain an advantage over the BJP in crucial urban local bodies. The Dalhousie Municipal Council witnessed a closely contested election, with the Congress securing a narrow majority by winning five out of nine wards, while BJP-backed candidates won four seats. Both parties engaged in intense campaigning leading up to the final day of polling.

In Shimla district, the electoral landscape presented a more divided picture. In the Theog Municipal Council, both the BJP and Congress-backed candidates secured three wards each. An Independent candidate, who was previously associated with the BJP, won the seventh ward. The Rampur Municipal Council saw a similarly balanced outcome, with the BJP winning four wards, the Congress securing four, and one ward won by an Independent candidate.

The Chowari Nagar Panchayat recorded a fractured mandate, with Congress-backed candidates winning three wards, BJP candidates securing two, and Independents emerging victorious in two wards. The contest for the Chamba Municipal Council remained evenly poised, with both Congress-backed and BJP-backed candidates winning five wards each, while an Independent candidate secured one seat. Chamba is notably the hometown of Rajya Sabha MP and BJP leader Harsh Mahajan.

Surjeet Bharmouri, the President of the Chamba District Congress Committee, described the results as indicative of growing public support for the Congress in urban areas. He highlighted that the public’s appreciation for the welfare measures and developmental initiatives of the Congress government has led to increased faith in the party’s leadership.

In contrast, the BJP achieved a decisive victory in Solan district. BJP-backed candidates swept the key civic bodies of Parwanoo, Arki, and Nalagarh, where Congress-supported candidates were unable to mount a significant challenge. In these bodies, BJP-backed candidates won a total of 16 seats, while Congress-backed candidates secured only eight seats. One seat was won by an Independent candidate. Significantly, all three of these municipal councils were previously under Congress rule.

The urban local body polls in Sirmaur district reflected a closely fought political contest. The BJP secured seven seats in the Nahan Municipal Council, recognized as the second-oldest municipal body in India, while the Congress put up a strong performance, winning six seats. In the Rajgarh Nagar Panchayat, Congress-backed candidates emerged dominant, clinching five of the seven seats, while BJP-supported candidates secured three seats. The Paonta Sahib Municipal Council election proved highly interesting, with Independent candidates playing a decisive role. Out of the 13 wards, Congress-backed candidates won four seats, BJP-supported candidates secured four seats, and Independents registered victories in five seats, making them crucial in the formation of the civic body.

The results in Mandi district presented a mixed outcome. In Jogindernagar Municipal Council, BJP-backed candidates won four seats, and Independent candidates secured three. The Nerchowk Municipal Council saw Congress-backed candidates win seven seats, with one seat each going to a BJP-backed candidate and an Independent. In the Sarkaghat Municipal Council, Congress-backed and BJP-backed candidates won three seats each, while an Independent secured one seat. The Sundernagar Municipal Council saw BJP-backed candidates win nine of the 13 seats, with Congress-backed candidates securing two and Independents winning the remaining two.

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