BJP Sweeps Uttarakhand Local Body Polls, Securing Key Victories

A day before the rollout of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand on Monday, the full scale of the BJP’s victory in the local Pollsbody elections became evident as the party clinched 10 out of 11 mayoral positions, gaining two from the Congress. This landslide victory solidified Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s leadership in the state ahead of the “semi-final of power.”

While the Congress failed to secure any mayoral posts, the BJP made a strong showing in the elections for 43 municipal councils and 46 nagar panchayats, winning or leading in 32 out of the 89 seats.

In the Lalkuan nagar panchayat in Nainital that falls under the Lalkuan Assembly seat Rawat lost in 2022, the Congress lost to an Independent. The party also lost the mayoral election in Haldwani by more than 3,000 votes. In Pithoragarh, where ticket distribution woes saw Congress vice-president (organisation) Mathura Dutt Joshi quit and MLA Mayukh Mahar rebel, the party finished third. Here, the BJP’s Kalpana Devlal defeated Monika Mahar, an Independent supported by Mayukh, by 17 votes.

Also Read:Guillain-Barre Syndrome cases in Pune reach 101

BJP Wins Local Major Uttarakhand Mayoral Polls in Key Cities

In 2018, the last time local body polls were held, the BJP won six mayoral posts while the Congress won two. The Congress was marginally better than the BJP in the municipal council polls back then, winning 14 chairperson posts as against the latter’s 13. In the panchayat polls five years ago, the BJP won 17 chairperson posts while the Congress bagged seven. A total of 11 Independents emerged victorious in the polls for council chairperson while the number stood at 12 for panchayats.