In Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, politics surrounding the Municipal Corporation's Mayor and Deputy Mayor elections has intensified. With the Municipal Corporation's two-and-a-half-year term set to conclude on November 15, councilors from both the Congress and BJP parties have become active.
Shimla: In Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, politics surrounding the Municipal Corporation's Mayor and Deputy Mayor elections has intensified. With the two-and-a-half-year term of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor concluding on November 15, several Congress councilors have become active. Meanwhile, the BJP has also clarified its position on the matter.
The BJP states that a woman councilor should be given the opportunity for the Mayor's post for the next two-and-a-half years. Currently, out of 34 positions in the Municipal Corporation House, 21 are held by women councilors. BJP councilor Saroj Thakur emphasized that due to the higher number of women councilors, a woman should be prioritized for the Mayor's position, and the Congress government should respect this.
BJP's Demand: Opportunity for a Woman in the Mayor's Post
There are a total of 34 councilors in the Municipal Corporation, 21 of whom are women. The BJP argues that due to the greater number of women councilors, a woman should now be prioritized for the Mayor's position. BJP councilor Saroj Thakur stated that the Congress government should respect women councilors and provide them with the opportunity for the Mayor's post by amending the roster.
She also added that the Mayor's post has not been reserved for a Scheduled Caste woman in the last 12 years, and therefore, this opportunity should now be given to women according to the rules. The BJP further stated that if the Congress government amends the roster and snatches this right from women, it will be opposed.
Congress's Stance and Political Claim
In the 2023 Municipal Corporation elections, Congress secured a majority, and at that time, the party's women councilors had advocated for women to be appointed to high-ranking positions even before Priyanka Gandhi. Subsequently, the most experienced woman councilor, Uma Kaushal, was appointed to the Deputy Mayor's post, while Surendra Chauhan, a close aide of the Chief Minister, was installed as Mayor.
Now, with the completion of the two-and-a-half-year term on November 15, several Congress councilors have once again become active to stake their claim. According to sources, amendments to the roster may be discussed in the upcoming cabinet meeting. As per the roster, re-elections for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts are to be held next month.
However, there is also talk that preparations are underway to retain Surendra Chauhan as Mayor for the next five years. In the Municipal Corporation, there are 24 councilors from Congress, 9 from BJP, and 1 from CPI(M). Accordingly, Congress councilors will be appointed to both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts.
