MANDI: Temple town Mandi — revered as Chhoti Kashi — is seeing political temperatures rise ahead of Municipal Corporation polls, with the Bharatiya Janata Party releasing its full list of candidates for all 15 wards.
The list was formally cleared by state BJP president Rajeev Bindal, but the imprint of former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is hard to miss. With Mandi being his home turf, Thakur is learnt to have played a decisive role in ticket allocation, weighing caste equations, local loyalties and winnability.
BJP Names Candidates Across 15 Wards
The BJP has fielded Ranvir Singh from Khalyar, Sarita Thakur from Purani Mandi, Nirmal Verma from Paddal, Manju Devi from Nela, Krishna Thakur from Mangwai, Virender Singh Arya from Sanyard (SC), Jitender Singh from Talyaar, Gurdeep Kaur from Palace Colony-1, Suman Thakur from Palace Colony-2, Neha Kumari from Suhra (SC), Jitender Sharma from Samkhetar, Gagan Kashyap from Bhawahan, Rajni Sharma from Thaneda, Gurbachan Singh from Behna (SC) and Sita Devi from Dandhi (SC).
In contrast, the Indian National Congress is yet to announce its candidates, indicating a delayed start in the municipal poll race.
BJP Dominates District Politics
The political arithmetic in the district tilts heavily in BJP’s favour. Out of 10 Assembly segments in Mandi district, nine are represented by BJP MLAs, while the Congress holds just one seat — Dharampur — giving the BJP a clear organisational edge.
Even as political control remains strong, some marquee promises continue to hang fire. The proposed international greenfield airport near Mandi — a pet project associated with Jai Ram Thakur — still remains a pipe dream, with no major movement visible on the ground.
Dissent Within Congress
Adding to Congress’s troubles, senior Mandi leader Kaul Singh Thakur has openly criticised the functioning style of the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government. His remarks point to internal dissatisfaction within the party even as it struggles to get its election strategy in place.
Political Grip vs Ground Reality
Despite the BJP’s organisational strength, the civic situation in Mandi paints a grim picture. The old town — lined with centuries-old temples and narrow lanes — is in disrepair, with broken roads, poor drainage and little heritage conservation.
Traffic congestion continues to choke the town daily. With rising vehicle numbers and almost no structured parking, key stretches remain jammed for hours, frustrating residents and visitors alike.
Shivdham Push, Infrastructure Lag
The much-touted Shivdham project, closely linked with Jai Ram Thakur, aimed to position Mandi as a major spiritual tourism hub. While it has brought visibility, locals say infrastructure hasn’t kept pace as the Sukhu government puts it in cold store.
Parking chaos near temple clusters, encroachments and weak traffic regulation continue to undermine the experience in this temple town.
As campaigning gathers pace, the spotlight is firmly on everyday issues — waste management, congestion, parking and revival of the old town. The BJP may have taken an early lead politically, but in Mandi, voters are likely to judge on delivery — not just dominance.
