BJP makes comeback in Shimla Zila Parishad after 25 years

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Setback for Congress as saffron party candidate Sisodia wins with 13 votes despite Congress holding seven of eight Assembly seats

Shimla, September 10

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday returned to the top posts of the Shimla Zila Parishad after nearly 25 years, defeating the Congress in a significant setback for the ruling party in a district where it holds seven of the eight Assembly seats.

At an election held at Bachat Bhawan, BJP-backed member Bhupendra Singh Sisodia was elected president with 13 votes, defeating Congress candidate Surendra Retka, who secured 10 votes. Two votes were declared invalid.

Independent member Bharat Singh Kalanta was elected vice-president with 14 votes. Congress candidate Meenakshi secured 10 votes, while one vote was declared invalid.

The BJP projected the outcome as a setback for the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government and linked the victory to the 2027 Assembly elections.

Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan said the BJP’s return to the top posts after several years showed that people in the district had rejected the state government. He described the result as the “beginning” of the 2027 elections and claimed that the BJP would form the next government in Himachal Pradesh.

Rajya Sabha MP Sikander Kumar said the result reflected people’s confidence in the BJP. He also claimed that some Congress-backed Zila Parishad members had voted for the BJP, which, he said, indicated dissatisfaction with the Congress government.

The newly elected president and vice-president thanked the members for their support and said they would work to address public issues and raise the concerns of residents before the state government.

They also alleged that the government had delayed the Zila Parishad elections and claimed that the delay had contributed to public anger. They said the outcome would have remained the same had the elections been held on time.

The result assumes significance as Congress holds seven of the eight Assembly constituencies in Shimla district, with three of its MLAs serving as ministers. The BJP has described the Zila Parishad victory as a political signal ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.