Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday alleged that the Congress government was delaying the completion of the Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies election process to prevent the BJP from forming local bodies where it has won a majority.
Addressing mediapersons in Shimla, Thakur claimed the Sukhu government tried its best to avoid holding the polls. He said the BJP had to approach both the High Court and the Supreme Court to ensure the elections were conducted.
“The Congress government did not want these elections to be held because it knew the results would not be in its favour. We were forced to approach the High Court and later the Supreme Court, which directed that the elections be completed by May 31,” he said.
Thakur said the Supreme Court's direction was meant to cover the entire election process. He said this included not only voting but also the election of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads. He alleged that the state government repeatedly delayed the process by invoking the Disaster Management Act, changing reservation rosters and amending election rules.
Thakur further claimed the government removed the rule that required elections for chairpersons and vice-chairpersons to be held within seven days of the declaration of results. He said this gave the authorities the freedom to postpone the elections without a fixed timeline.
"The rules have been changed only to delay the process. The government can now hold these elections after one month, two months or even later. This goes against the spirit of democracy," he alleged.
Claiming that the BJP had received a strong mandate from the people, Thakur said the party had secured majorities in 10 of the state's 12 Zila Parishads. He also said the BJP had won most of the chairperson elections held so far in Panchayat Samitis. He added that in the three Zila Parishads where chairperson elections had already taken place, the Congress could not even field candidates.
Highlighting the BJP's performance in recent Municipal Corporation polls, Thakur said the party won three of the four corporations that went to elections. These included Dharamshala, Mandi and Solan.
"This is a clear verdict from the people. The Congress has been rejected at the grassroots level, while the BJP has received overwhelming support," he said.
Thakur alleged that election dates for chairperson and vice-chairperson posts were being announced only in local bodies where the Congress had the numbers. In BJP-majority bodies, he claimed, the process was being deliberately delayed.
He also accused the government of trying to influence elected representatives through intimidation. He alleged that vigilance inquiries, encroachment cases and transfers of family members working in government jobs were being used to pressure BJP members.
"Our elected representatives are being threatened. False vigilance and encroachment cases are being registered to force them to switch sides," he alleged.
The BJP leader also accused district administrations of acting under political pressure. He said the party was preparing a list of Deputy Commissioners, Sub-Divisional Magistrates and other officials who had allegedly delayed the election process.
"If the delay continues, we will once again approach the courts. We will take legal action to protect the people's mandate," he said.
Referring to the Sujanpur Municipal Council in Hamirpur district, Thakur alleged that the SDM violated election rules by conducting the vote through a show of hands instead of a secret ballot. He said those affected should challenge the decision in the High Court. He also claimed there were irregularities in the nomination process in Hamirpur and alleged that official records had been altered to disqualify BJP candidates.
Targeting Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Thakur said the government should respect the people's verdict instead of trying to influence the post-election process through administrative decisions.
"The Chief Minister has crossed all democratic limits. He should accept the people's mandate instead of trying to change it through the administration," he said. Drawing a comparison with West Bengal, Thakur alleged that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh was similarly unwilling to accept an unfavourable electoral verdict.
Responding to a question, he said the BJP was documenting the conduct of government officials and would decide on legal and administrative action at an appropriate time.
Commenting on the agitation by HRTC employees and the imposition of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), Thakur alleged that the Congress government had failed to fulfil its promises to employees and was suppressing protests instead of addressing their concerns.
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