Mass Withdrawal of All Candidates Halts Civic Polls in Behna Ward of Mandi Amid Public Outcry Over Taxation and Civic Neglect.
Shimla:
In an extraordinary political development during the ongoing Municipal Corporation elections in Himachal Pradesh, all candidates contesting from Ward No. 14 (Behna) in Mandi have withdrawn their nominations, bringing the entire electoral process in the ward to an abrupt standstill.
The rare collective exit has created a complete electoral vacuum, halting both campaigning and voting preparations. The move comes in the backdrop of sustained and unified resistance from local residents against the inclusion of Behna under the municipal corporation limits.
Residents have been consistently demanding the ward’s exclusion, arguing that the extension of municipal jurisdiction has resulted in a steep rise in taxes without a corresponding improvement in basic civic facilities. Locals allege that essential infrastructure and services have not been delivered in line with the increased financial burden, leading to growing public anger and discontent.
Under mounting pressure from the community, all contesting candidates—including representatives of major political parties and independents—decided to withdraw from the electoral race. Those who stepped out include Congress nominee Dhandev, BJP candidate Gurbachan, and independent candidates Krishan Bhanu and Mansa Ram. Election authorities confirmed that the withdrawals have effectively left the ward without any contesting candidates.
The development was confirmed by Assistant Election Officer and SDM Balh, Samritika Negi, who stated that all four candidates had formally withdrawn their nominations, bringing the electoral process in Ward No. 14 to a complete halt.
The situation has sparked unusual political alignment on the ground, with leaders acknowledging the depth of public resentment. BJP MLA from Balh Inder Singh Gandhi expressed support for the residents’ stand, alleging that repeated demands from the area were ignored by the state administration. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Prakash Chaudhary attributed the crisis to the earlier inclusion of rural areas into municipal limits during the previous BJP government’s tenure.
The collective withdrawal has effectively turned into a strong form of democratic protest, highlighting widespread dissatisfaction over taxation policies and inadequate civic development. Residents have reportedly declared that they will not participate in future electoral exercises unless their demand for exclusion from the municipal corporation is addressed.
With an entire ward now left without candidates, the situation has placed the district administration and Election Commission in a difficult position, requiring urgent review of legal and procedural options to address the unprecedented deadlock.
The incident has drawn significant political attention across the district, with analysts calling it a rare and powerful example of grassroots resistance against urban governance expansion and policy disconnect.
