BJP, Cong slug it out for top zila parishad posts

Rebel leaders, independent candidates will play a significant role in the elections

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh units of the Congress and BJP are slugging it out to ensure the candidates wrest the coveted posts of Zila Parishad chairperson and vice-chairperson in all 12 districts.

The three major political parties in the state — BJP, Congress and CPI(M) — have expended more effort on the Zila Parishad polls as compared to the panchayat and block development committee elections.

Nonetheless, both the Congress and BJP had claimed landslide victories in the Panchayati Raj Institutions polls. Of the 239 seats, BJP had bagged 112, Congress 76 and the CPI(M) 11.

Congress and BJP rebel leaders and independent candidates had collectively bagged 11 seats and are sure to play a significant role in the Zila Parishad elections.

In Sirmaur, the Congress and BJP had won 8 seats each. However, Bagh Pashog, the home ward of state party chief Suresh Kashyap, was won by Nirmal Sharma, an independent candidate. “Congress has majority and we are all set to the form the Zila Parishad in Sirmaur,” said fivetime legislator and senior party leader Harshwardhan Chauhan. Anand Parmar, the grandson of the first chief minister of the state Yashwant Singh Parmar, won hands down from the prestigious Narag ward .

In Mandi, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur’s home district, BJP backed candidates won 23 seats, Congress five seats and four seats each went to independent candidates and the CPI(M). However, there is a rift within the BJP leaders with Jal Shakti minister Mahender Singh Thakur lobbying for his daughter Vandana Guleria, the general secretary of party’s women’s wing and candidates owing allegiance to the CM and national BJP chief Jagat Parkash Nadda also lobbying for the top posts. The CM, who is at present campaigning in Mandi, is likely to generate consensus among candidates for the top two posts.

In Shimla, Congress leaders including state party chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Shimla rural MLA Vikramaditya Singh and Kasumpti legislator Anirudh Singh are on the forefront and are holding a series of the meeting to constitute a Congress-backed Zila Parishad

Of the 24 seats, Congress had won 13, while two seats were bagged by the CPI( M) and three independent. “We are confident that the Congress will form the Zila Parishad in Shimla,” said Vikramaditya Singh. A tough battle is on the horizon in Hamirpur with the BJP winning nine seats of 18, Congress six .

“BJP is already in touch with independent candidates. We will form the Zila Parishad,” said forest minister Rakesh Pathania.