Shimla, May 15: The high-pitched campaign for elections to four Municipal Corporations and 51 Urban Local Bodies in Himachal Pradesh came to an end on Friday afternoon, setting the stage for voting on May 17.
There are parking issues, traffic congestion and garbage and trash crisis, stray dog and monkey menace in most towns.
With campaigning over, the focus has now shifted to the electorate, as over 3.60 lakh voters will decide the political fate of candidates contesting in Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats across the state.
The elections witnessed aggressive canvassing by both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu campaigned extensively in Solan, Mandi, Dharamshala and Palampur in support of Congress candidates, while Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur and other BJP leaders also hit the campaign trail to mobilize support.
While elections to the four Municipal Corporations are being fought directly by political parties, the polls to 51 Urban Local Bodies are officially non-party based.
Despite that, both Congress and BJP remained deeply involved in backing their preferred candidates, making the contests politically significant.
The State Election Commission has completed preparations for peaceful polling. A total of 589 polling stations have been set up and around 15,000 employees deployed for election duty. Security has been tightened, especially at sensitive and hyper-sensitive booths, with additional police personnel deployed.
A dry day has also been enforced 48 hours before polling. Authorities said strict vigil would be maintained on suspicious activities and outsiders to ensure free and fair elections.
Out of the total electorate, 1,808 young voters will cast their vote for the first time. Voting will continue till 3 pm on May 17, and those standing in queues by the deadline will also be allowed to vote.
Polling will be held for 449 posts, including seats in four Municipal Corporations, 229 Municipal Councils and 156 Nagar Panchayat wards. Results for Urban Local Bodies are expected the same evening, while the results for the four Municipal Corporations will be declared on May 31.
Meanwhile, political activity has also intensified in rural Himachal ahead of Panchayati Raj elections, with 436 candidates withdrawing nominations on the first day of withdrawal.
#HimachalPradesh #ULBElections #MunicipalPolls #Shimla
