Congress fails to conduct Mayor and Dy Mayor poll in Himachal: Jairam

Himachal Pradesh Government failed to organize the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor after the completion of their terms in Municipal Corporation Dharmshala, Solan, Palampur, and Mandi.

This was stated by former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur in a press statement issued here today.

Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur said that after two and a half years, as per rules, elections for Mayor and Deputy Mayor are to be held but the state government is not conducting the elections. 

 Due to this all the development works of four municipal corporations have come to a halt.  All the municipal corporations are in disaster-affected areas and due to the absence of elections, not a single work is being done in those areas.

  Mr. Thakur said that this is only the failure of the government.  Due to this lakhs of people are facing problems.

  He said that due to the failure of the government, Mandi, Solan, Dharamshala, and Palanpur Municipal Corporations in the state are running without Mayor and Deputy Mayor. 

 Whatever development works are proposed have come to a complete standstill.  It is a failure of the state government to not conduct the elections of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.  

Under the rules, this post could not be kept vacant.  Now the situation has become clear regarding the votes of MLAs, still, the government is not conducting these elections. 

He said that the government needs not bother about organizing the poll as the election would be held between the elected councilors.

In disaster-affected MCs there is no one in important posts like the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, so how can relief and rehabilitation work be done effectively.

  The Mayor is the first citizen of a city who plays an important role in all the major works in his area of ​​work.  

Since they are elected by the public, their parties are also accountable to them.  In such a situation, not allowing them to work is an insult to the democratic system. 

 He said that the present Congress government is moving towards dictatorship from every side.  He said that by not holding elections on such important posts, the government is violating the democratic rights of the people.

LOP said that the government has demanded back Rs 76 Cr. from the Grant-in-Aid issued to 60 urban bodies including 5 municipal corporations of the state.  

This has increased the problems of urban bodies engaged in making rehabilitation plans after the tragedy.

  He said that it is wrong to demand back half the amount of the grant released by the government.  

Work has started on the schemes determined with the money sent by the government for development.  In such a situation, demanding a return of that amount is ridiculous, he added.