BJP’s Shamsher Nehria new Dharamshala Mayor

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Dharamshala, July 1

BJP councillor Shamsher Nehria was unanimously elected Mayor of the Dharamshala Municipal Corporation, while BJP councillor Prerna Guleria was elected Deputy Mayor during the civic body’s meeting on Wednesday.

The election was conducted under the chairmanship of Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa, with 12 councillors present, including 11 BJP councillors and one Independent. Following their election, the Deputy Commissioner administered the oath of office and secrecy to both the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

According to the district administration, one nomination each was received for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. After scrutiny, both nominations were found valid, following which the councillors unanimously elected Shamsher Nehria as Mayor and Prerna Guleria as Deputy Mayor.

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor were originally scheduled to be elected after the oath-taking ceremony on 29 June, but the election could not be held as the mandatory quorum of 13 councillors was not met. The subsequent meeting did not require a quorum, allowing the election to proceed.

Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa said, “One valid nomination was received for each post. As the nomination papers were found to be in order, all councillors unanimously elected Shamsher Nehria as Mayor and Prerna Guleria as Deputy Mayor.”

‘Will Accelerate Stalled Development Works’

After assuming office, Mayor Shamsher Nehria said his priority would be to revive pending development projects and transform Dharamshala into a model city.

“We will expedite stalled development works in the Municipal Corporation and work towards making Dharamshala an ideal city. I will also review the Smart City projects after taking charge and consult the local MLA before moving forward,” he said.

‘Public Service Is My Priority’

Deputy Mayor Prerna Guleria thanked the party leadership and Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma for their support.

“My objective is public service. We will work to resolve people’s issues on a priority basis,” she said.

Sudhir Sharma Alleges Political Pressure

Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma congratulated the newly elected civic leaders and expressed confidence that they would work with dedication for the city’s development.

Referring to recent allegations of encroachment against BJP councillors, Sharma accused the state government of acting with political bias.

“The government has attempted to exert political pressure over the past two to three days. Such practices are not healthy for democracy. Complaints have now also been made against their own people, and the facts will emerge,” he said.

‘People Have Reposed Faith in BJP’

Senior BJP leader and Jaswan-Paragpur MLA Bikram Thakur said the people of Himachal Pradesh were disappointed with the state government and had demonstrated their confidence in the BJP by electing its candidates in the Dharamshala Municipal Corporation.

He described Sudhir Sharma as a senior leader within the BJP and said his guidance would play an important role in shaping Dharamshala’s future development.