Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 8 (ANI): The Leader of Opposition and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday accused the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of deliberately delaying the election of the chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Shimla Zila Parishad, alleging that the administration was being used to suppress the democratic mandate.
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Thakur said the Shimla Zila Parishad has 25 elected members, of whom 13 are associated with the BJP, while two other members are also in contact with the party.
He said despite the results of the Panchayati Raj elections having been declared nearly two-and-a-half months ago, the process for electing the Zila Parishad chairperson and vice-chairperson in Shimla had not been completed.
Thakur said he had been trying to contact the Shimla Deputy Commissioner for the past three days regarding the issue but had not received an opportunity to speak to him.
“If the Shimla Deputy Commissioner does not announce the date for the Zila Parishad elections within the next two days, all our elected members will approach the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday,” Thakur said.
He warned that if the matter was still not resolved, the BJP would consider staging a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office until a date for the election was announced.
“If there is any law-and-order situation during such a protest, the Chief Minister and the concerned authorities will be responsible,” he said.
Thakur claimed that the results of the recently held Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections had demonstrated strong support for the BJP across the state.
He said elections for chairpersons and vice-chairpersons had been completed in 10 of Himachal Pradesh’s 12 districts and claimed that in nine of these districts, the Congress could not even field candidates for the top Zila Parishad posts, resulting in BJP candidates being elected unopposed.
He further claimed that around 70 per cent of elected panchayat presidents were supported by the BJP and that the party had also performed strongly in Panchayat Samitis.
Referring to the urban local body elections, Thakur said BJP candidates had won the mayor and deputy mayor positions in three of the four municipal corporations where elections were held on party symbols.
“Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had apprehended that the election results would not be in his favour. His assessment proved correct,” Thakur said, alleging that the electorate had rejected the Congress government through the Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections.
Thakur also referred to a recent Himachal Pradesh High Court order concerning the election of the chairperson and vice-chairperson of a Block Development Committee in Indora.
He said 25 of the 26 BDC members were supported by the BJP, but the election process had allegedly been kept pending following a complaint by a Youth Congress leader.
“The High Court has made it clear that no authority can indefinitely postpone an election,” Thakur said.
He alleged that one BJP-supported BDC member had been repeatedly called to a police station for questioning in connection with the matter and termed the development “unfortunate”.
Thakur said the BJP would also seek action against officials whom it believes attempted to delay or obstruct the democratic process.
Thakur also challenged the state government’s decision to amend provisions relating to the conduct of Panchayati Raj elections.
He said the Supreme Court had directed that the Panchayati Raj elections be completed by May 31 and argued that the order covered not merely voting and counting but the entire electoral process, including elections for chairpersons and vice-chairpersons.
“The elections of chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, mayors, deputy mayors and other office-bearers should also have been completed within the stipulated period. If this has not happened, it amounts to a violation of the Supreme Court’s directions and may attract contempt proceedings,” he said.
Thakur said the BJP would challenge the relevant provisions before the courts if necessary, arguing that the state government could not use amendments to rules to indefinitely postpone elections.
The former chief minister also accused the Congress government of targeting BJP leaders, former elected representatives and party workers through what he described as a “politics of vendetta”.
“An entire chain has been created to register cases against BJP’s elected and former elected representatives, MLAs, former MLAs and party leaders. This is the first time I am witnessing such a political atmosphere in Himachal Pradesh,” Thakur said.
He claimed that more cases were being prepared against BJP leaders and said the party would face them politically and legally.
“Register as many cases as you want, but the BJP will openly face them and come out into the field,” he said.
Asked whether the BJP’s protests would be confined to Shimla, Thakur said the party was preparing for agitation on several issues across the state.
He said the BJP would raise issues related to the deteriorating law-and-order situation, health services, employment and the alleged non-payment of wages to workers.
Referring to protests in Kullu, he said a six-day agitation was underway over the death of a 22-year-old woman, Manju Sharma, following childbirth at a hospital.
He claimed that protesters had gone on an indefinite hunger strike and alleged that the state government had so far failed to initiate dialogue with them.
“I spoke to the Chief Minister yesterday and told him that the situation could worsen. In a democracy, refusing even to listen to people’s concerns does not send a good message,” Thakur said.
He also alleged that unemployed youth who were promised jobs under the Congress government’s guarantees were still waiting for employment.
Thakur accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of not listening to his own party leaders, the public or the opposition.
“The Chief Minister is neither listening to his own people nor the public, and he does not listen to the Opposition at all. Circumstances will ultimately force him to listen, and not only listen but also act,” he said.
Asked about the BJP’s broader protest programme, Thakur said the party was preparing agitation at the district level and would raise the issues during and after the Assembly session.
Responding to a question on whether the BJP would agree with Chief Minister Sukhu’s apparent assessment that the BJP would not return to power in the next Assembly elections, Thakur said the Chief Minister’s political assessment had already failed in the local body elections.
“He has become an astrologer these days. His assessment will completely fail,” Thakur said.
He said the Congress should accept the message delivered by voters in the Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections.
Thakur also referred to reports of differences within the Congress, saying several Congress leaders had travelled to Delhi and submitted reports about the functioning of the state government.
“According to the reports, the Chief Minister does not listen, and even if he listens, he does not accept what is being said,” he said.
Thakur also expressed grief over the death of seven people in a private bus accident in Chamba district.
He said 11 people were reportedly injured in the accident and conveyed his condolences to the families of those killed.
He urged the state government to ensure immediate and adequate medical treatment for all the injured.
“Those injured should be provided the best possible treatment at the earliest,” Thakur said.
Thakur said that the BJP would continue to raise issues concerning democracy, governance, law and order, public services and political accountability in Himachal Pradesh. (ANI)
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