BJP, Cong claim ‘big win’ in Himachal panchayat elections

BJP STATE CHIEF SAYS 904 PARTY BACKED PRADHANS HAVE EMERGED VICTORIOUS; CONG SEEKS PROOF

A day after the first phase of polling for panchayati raj institutions ( PRI) in HP, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress claimed victory.

BJP state president Suresh Kashyap said in 1,228 panchayats, 904 BJP-backed pradhans emerged victorious .

“It’s evident from the results that party- backed pradhans and uppradhans have won in all 12 administrative districts,” Kashyap said.

He rolled out figures claiming victory, even as the elections were not held on party symbols.

HP Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, meanwhile, contradicted the BJP’s claims.

“When the brother of a sitting MP from Mandi, Ram Swarup Sharma, lost ward panch election, then how are they claiming such big victories all over the state,” he questioned, further asking the BJP chief to release the list of pradhans and uppradhans who have won elections and associate themselves with the saffron party.

“75% of the winning candidates follow the Congress ideology and the party will make public the details when elections are over. Results from the first phase clearly depict the mindset of people, who have rejected the BJP government. The mandate has been undoubtedly against the BJP government,” Rathore said.

“They ( the BJP) are luring the winning candidates by all unfair means,” he added, asking the independent winners not to side with the BJP.

Rathore said, “Himachal ranks third in the country in terms of unemployment. Corruption and inflation are at alltime high and development work is at a standstill. The government should tell the people of the state, which bull’s eye it has hit that all these celebrations are being done across the state.”

He also urged the government officials to remain neutral and not act as “agents of the BJP government”. He suggested that the upcoming municipal elections should be held on party symbols.