No Bill, MC elections on party symbol a far cry, says Sukhu

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, March 4

The government is neither serious about conducting the municipal corporation elections on party symbol, nor about providing reservation to OBC community in the elections.

Former HPCC president and Congress MLA from Nadaun Sukhwinder Sukhu levelled these allegations while addressing a press conference here today.

Sukhu said the government had notified that the elections to four corporations, Dharamsala, Solan, Palampur and Mandi, would be held before April 8. To conduct elections on party symbol, as decided by the Cabinet, a Bill to amend the Municipal Council Act had to be brought to the Assembly.

After the Act was passed, the people had to be given a month to file objections. It was March 4 and no Bill for amending the Act had been introduced. This illustrated that the government was not serious about holding MC elections on party symbol, Sukhu said.

He also said no Bill had been brought to the Assembly for providing reservations to the OBC categories in the MC elections.

Sukhu, who has been made in-charge of the committee that will oversee the Congress campaign for MC elections in Dharamsala, held a meeting with party leaders, including former ministers Sudhir Sharma, Chander Kumar and Kuldeep Kumar, former MLA Rajesh Dharmani and Mayor Davinder Jaggi.

Sukhu said the Congress had appointed observers for all 17 wards of Dharamsala. They would submit their report to the district president Ajay Mahajan till March 10.

Winnability would be only criterion for deciding the candidates.

Sukhu said development during the Congress stint from 2012 to 2017 and funds spent by the present government on the city in three years would be the Congress agenda.

Winnability must

• Sukhwinder Sukhu will oversee the campaign for MC elections in Dharamsala
• He held a meeting with party leaders
• The Congress has appointed observers for all 17 wards of Dharamsala
• Winnability will be the only criterion for deciding the candidates

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