Kullu, May 18
With municipal body elections concluded in Himachal Pradesh, the political focus has now shifted to the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections, and candidates have begun intensifying their campaigns across the state’s rural areas.
A public meeting in support of BJP-backed candidates for the District Council wards of Mohal and Doogi Lag was organised at Khalada Nala near Kullu on Monday. The gathering drew a large number of residents from the Lag Valley region. Former minister Govind Singh Thakur also attended the event and targeted the Congress government over its functioning in the state.
Addressing the gathering, Govind Singh Thakur said the results of the recently concluded municipal body elections clearly reflected public dissatisfaction with the Congress government. He claimed that people across Himachal Pradesh were unhappy with the state government’s performance and added that the BJP was now fully focused on the Panchayati Raj elections.
The former minister said BJP-supported candidates contesting the elections have strong grassroots connections and understand the problems faced by people in rural areas. He expressed confidence that BJP-backed candidates would secure significant victories in both the District Council and Panchayat elections across Kullu district.
BJP-supported candidate Raj Kumar from the Doogi Lag District Council ward said he has been regularly touring villages and meeting residents across the region. He stated that many rural areas in the Lag Valley continue to struggle with basic issues such as poor roads, irregular electricity supply and water shortages.
Raj Kumar said that after the elections, priority would be given to resolving these long-pending public issues and improving infrastructure in remote villages.
Meanwhile, BJP-backed candidate Nisha Thakur from the Mohal District Council ward said her constituency comprises 10 panchayats in the Lag Valley area. During her public outreach campaign, she found that roads damaged by the 2025 natural disaster had still not been properly repaired.
She said several rural areas continue to face transportation problems, with buses unable to reach many villages, forcing residents to walk several kilometres daily. Nisha Thakur stated that road restoration and improving connectivity in remote areas would be among her key priorities if elected.
As campaigning for the Panchayati Raj elections gains momentum, political parties are strengthening their presence in rural Himachal, with local development issues emerging as a major focus in the election discourse.
