The urban local body elections in Himachal Pradesh yielded mixed results across 47 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats. Of these, BJP-backed candidates secured a majority in 21 urban bodies, while Congress-backed candidates won a majority in 19.
There were seven bodies where no single party (or group of supported councilors) could secure a clear majority. In these instances, those capable of forming alliances for the posts of President and Vice-President are likely to emerge victorious. In the Narkanda Nagar Panchayat, all councilors (backed by the Congress) have already been elected unopposed.
In several bodies, the key to power will lie in the hands of councilors who are not affiliated with any political party. In the Una district, BJP-backed candidates won in five out of the six urban local bodies. The Congress party also managed to make inroads in the Mandi district. In Sujanpur (Hamirpur district), candidates from other groups took the lead. With the declaration of results, the scramble for the posts of President and Vice-President within the Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats has now begun.
Elections Held for 51 Urban Local Bodies, Including Four Municipal Corporations
Elections were held on Sunday for 51 urban local bodies, including four Municipal Corporations. Although these elections were not contested on official party symbols, the state’s ruling Congress party and the BJP fielded party-backed candidates in almost all the bodies.
Of the 51 urban bodies where elections took place, results for 47 were declared by the evening, while the results for the four Municipal Corporations are scheduled to be announced on May 31. According to the State Election Commission, voter turnout this time was 4 percent lower compared to previous elections. While a turnout of 73 percent was recorded in 2021, this year saw a turnout of 69.16 percent.
The four Municipal Corporations recorded a voter turnout of 63.44 percent. Voting took place across 439 polling stations on Sunday, from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Hamirpur district recorded the highest voter turnout at 78 percent, while Solan recorded the lowest at 64 percent. The Shri Naina Devi Ji urban body recorded the highest individual turnout among all bodies, at 86 percent.