The mayoral election of the Solan Municipal Corporation was postponed on Monday after six Congress councillors deliberately abstained from the meeting, causing a lack of quorum. Only 11 councillors—10 from the BJP and one Independent—attended, falling short of the required two-thirds quorum of 13. The district administration subsequently postponed the poll, with Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma announcing July 2 as the new date.
Congress Tactics Blamed
The Congress councillors stayed away as a tactical move, knowing that with Independent councillor Gaurav Rajput backing the BJP, the Congress had little chance of winning either the Mayor or Deputy Mayor posts. The BJP now has the support of 11 councillors, while the Congress has only six. The election was originally due a month after the results of the municipal corporation elections were declared on May 29.
BJP Accuses Government of Undermining Democracy
State BJP president Rajiv Bindal strongly criticized the postponement, accusing the Sukhvinder Singh-led Congress government of making a mockery of democracy. He alleged that the Congress government had deliberately delayed civic body elections in all four municipal corporations of the state—Solan, Mandi, Dharamsala, and Palampur—fearing defeat. After facing setbacks in three of the four corporations, the government was now resorting to unfair means, he claimed.
Allegations of Misuse of Official Machinery
Bindal further alleged that the Congress government was conspiring to use official machinery to turn the tide in its favor. He pointed out that during the election process, the Divisional Commissioner was notified on June 23 as the designated authority to decide cases related to the disqualification of councillors, particularly in municipal corporations. This move, he claimed, was aimed at targeting BJP's elected councillors to gain an undue advantage.
Delayed Notification and Backdated Notice
Bindal also criticized the district administration for notifying the mayoral elections a full month after the declaration of results. He alleged that a backdated notice dated June 24 was circulated to councillors only on the day before the meeting. This came after a report regarding alleged encroachment by two elected councillors was sent to the Divisional Commissioner, he claimed.
Next Steps
With the election now scheduled for July 2, the BJP is confident of winning both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor positions. The Congress, on the other hand, has not commented on the allegations but has maintained that the postponement was due to procedural issues. The political tension in Solan highlights the ongoing rivalry between the two parties in the state's municipal corporations.
