Panchayat and Zila Parishad Polls to Reveal True Political Landscape, Says Himachal Leader

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu argues that state-wide panchayat and zila parishad elections, not municipal polls, will accurately reflect Himachal Pradesh's political climate. He criticized the BJP's interpretation of local municipal elections, asserting Congress's significant support in rural areas.

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu criticized the BJP for using recent municipal election results as an indicator of the political sentiment in Himachal Pradesh. He emphasized that the upcoming panchayat and zila parishad elections will more accurately portray the public's mood.

Speaking with journalists, Sukhu attributed the BJP's triumphs in Mandi to the influence of local MLA Anil Sharma and in Dharamshala to MLA Sudhir Sharma. He noted that Congress narrowly lost in Solan and claimed municipal results do not reflect state-wide opinion as they are limited to single constituencies.

The Congress leader highlighted the strong performance of Congress-backed candidates in the Panchayati Raj Institutions elections. He stated that approximately 2,400 party-supported pradhans and 2,300 up-pradhans were elected across the state. Furthermore, Congress secured multiple seats in both Kullu and Mandi in urban local elections.