Shimla

The BJP on Thursday accused the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of attempting to “hijack” upcoming local body elections by undermining democratic processes.

State BJP president Rajeev Bindal alleged that the government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has been delaying panchayati raj and urban local body polls for the past two years, even taking the matter to the Supreme Court of India.

He said that despite the apex court directing elections to be held before May 31, 2026, the government has now resorted to “manipulation and malpractice” by arbitrarily changing reservation statuses of local bodies.

According to Bindal, the reservation roster is being altered repeatedly — with constituencies being switched between reserved and unreserved categories, and between Scheduled Castes and women — allegedly to suit political interests.

“This is not an electoral process, but a ‘suitability model’ where rules are bent for convenience,” he said, calling the exercise a violation of the Panchayati Raj Act and Article 243D of the Constitution, which mandates transparency in reservation procedures.

Bindal further alleged that officials are working under political pressure, resulting in confusion and tension across villages and municipalities. He said aspiring candidates, including youths and women, are feeling disillusioned due to the constantly shifting reservation system.

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Terming the situation as “coercion and misuse of power,” he asserted that the BJP would oppose the move at all levels — from public platforms to courts — to ensure free and fair elections.