Shimla: Contested along party lines, the urban local bodies election has thrown up a mixed result with ruling BJP apparently having scored an slight edge over rival congress in the civic elections, the results for which were still being declared late into the evening.
Of the 35 civic bodies, results for presidents posts that were available, 17 had been won by BJP, 12 by congress and 6 Independents were declared winners.
Starting out from chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal home district, BJP secured both the president and vice-president positions in Hamirpur, but in Nadaun the president posts was won by Congress whereas the vice-president was won by BJP.
In Shimla district congress won both the president and vice president at Kotkhai and Rampur, with BJP winning them at Jubbal and Sunni. In Rohru, the president post went to an independent and the vice-president to congress. President’s position in Theog and Chopal were won by BJP candidates and Narkanda was won by an independent.
In Kangra, congress had got the better of BJP with the opposition party winning the top two positions in Palampur, Nurpur, and Jwalamukhi. In Kangra the president’s position went to congress, whereas the vice president to an independent, in Dharmshala the president’s position was secured by an independent and the vice president by BJP and in Dehra both the positions were won by BJP. In Nagrota the president post was won by an independent and the VP by an congressman.
In Mandi district, at Sarkhaghat, BJP won the president post and VP went to congress, in Rewalsar both the top two position went to BJP whereas in Jogindernagar the presidents post was won by congress and the VP went to an Independent
In Rajgarh, congress had won the president election while the vice president election was won by BJP.
In Parwanoo, both the presidents and vice presidents posts were won by BJP
In Una district, BJP came out dominant with it winning the top two positions in Gagret and Santokgarh. In Mehatpur it won the president post, losing out the vice president position to congress and in Daultpur BJP won the vice president position and an independent was declared winner for President post. In Una town, BJP won the presidents post and an independent won the vice post.
In Manali an independent won the president’s election and BJP won the vice president position. Elsewhere in Banjar, BJP secured the top two posts. In Kullu the presidents post was won by BJP, the VP by congress, in Bhunter an Indepedent won the president’s elections whereas congress won the Vice-president contest.
Voter turnout in was recorded at Solan district 70%, Chamba 68%, Hamirpur 76%, Shimla 64%, Kangra 73%, Sirmour 80%, Una 79%, Mandi 70%, and Bilaspur 78.50%.
In all polls for 25 municipal councils and 23 nagar panchayats were held by electronic voting machines. Besides, elections to presidents and vice-president there are as 406 ward members who are being elected in this poll.By amending the local bodies act, 50% of seats were reserved for women in all urban local bodies, though the seat of vice-president was kept open.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
