BJP Storms Mandi Municipal Corporation Polls, Wins 12 of 14 Wards; Congress Reduced to One Seat.
Shimla:
In a massive show of political strength, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the Mandi Municipal Corporation (MC) elections, winning 12 of the 14 wards that went to polls and retaining control of the civic body for a second consecutive term. The Congress managed to secure only one seat, while an Independent candidate emerged victorious in one ward, delivering a decisive mandate in favour of the BJP in the district headquarters.
The election was held in 14 of the 15 wards of the Municipal Corporation after residents of Behna ward boycotted the polls over local issues, resulting in no voting in the ward. Despite the reduced number of seats, the BJP improved upon its previous performance, increasing its tally from 11 seats in the last MC elections to 12 this time.
The lone Independent winner was Congress rebel Alaknanda Handa, who won from Ward No. 1 (Khaliyar) after a nail-biting contest. She secured 719 votes and defeated BJP candidate Ranveer Singh by a narrow margin of 24 votes. Congress’ only victory came from Ward No. 4 (Nela), where Narvada Devi defeated BJP candidate Manju Devi by securing 805 votes against 682 votes.
The BJP, however, dominated the remaining wards, registering comfortable victories across the municipal area. Sarita Handa won from Purani Mandi ward by edging past Congress candidate Rekha by just 11 votes. Nirmal Verma secured victory from Paddal, while Krishna Thakur won from Mangwain with a convincing margin.
Virender Arya emerged victorious from Sanyard, while Jitender Kumar secured the Talyahar seat. Gurdeep Kaur recorded an easy win from Palace Colony-I, and Suman Thakur registered one of the biggest victories of the election from Palace Colony-II by polling 981 votes. Neha Vardhan won from Suhra, Jitender Sharma triumphed in Samkhetar, and Gagan Kashyap secured the Bhagwan ward seat.
Among the most notable victories was that of Rajni Sharma from Thanehra ward, who secured 977 votes against Congress candidate Geetanjali Sharma’s 368 votes, registering one of the largest winning margins of the election. Reeta Devi completed the BJP’s impressive performance by winning the Dhaundhi ward.
The results are being viewed as a significant political endorsement of the BJP’s organizational strength and leadership in Mandi. The outcome is particularly important as Mandi is considered one of the key political centres of Himachal Pradesh and the home district of former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur.
As the results became clear, celebrations erupted across Mandi town. BJP workers and supporters gathered at the historic Paddal Ground, where victory celebrations continued throughout the day. Party workers distributed sweets, raised slogans and congratulated the newly elected councillors.
Joining the celebrations, Jai Ram Thakur described the verdict as a reflection of the people’s trust in the BJP’s policies and development agenda. He thanked the voters for giving the party a decisive mandate and said the newly elected councillors would work collectively for the development, modernization and beautification of Mandi town.
Political observers believe the sweeping victory has further strengthened the BJP’s position in Mandi district and provided the party with significant momentum ahead of future electoral battles. The result not only reinforces BJP’s dominance in urban local bodies but also signals the party’s continued popularity among voters in the municipal area.
With 12 out of 14 seats in its kitty, the BJP has once again secured a commanding position in the Mandi Municipal Corporation, leaving little doubt about its political influence in the district’s urban landscape.
