Shimla civic polls: BJP releases list of 24 candidates, Cong names 9 more

The BJP on Wednesday released its first list of 24 candidates, which included 16 women, for the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls while the Congress named nine more nominees for the civic body elections slated to be held on May 2.

BJP leader Ganseh Dutt, who is the president of the "Drishti Patra" committee for the polls said the party would fight the election on issues of drug-free Shimla, cleanliness and clean drinking water. He also said that suggestions are being sought from the people to finalise the party's vision document.

The BJP's list of candidates included Saroj Thakur (Ruldu Bhatta), Sapna Kashyap (Annadale), Shelly Thakur (Summer Hill), Minakshi Goyal (Totu), Nirmala Chauhan (Majath), Kiran Bawa (Boileauganj), Alka Kanwar (Kachhi Ghati), Hema Kashyap (Nabha), Kalyan Dhiman (Phagli), Bittu Panna (Krishna Nagar), Bharti Sood (Lower Bazar), Anup Vaid (Benmore) and Satya Kaundal (Sanjauli Chowk).

The other candidates are Kamlesh Mehta (Upper Dhalli), Seema (Lower Dhalli), Devender Sharma (Shanti Vihar), Sushant Chauhan (Bhattakufar), Kamal Thakur (Sangti), Rachna (Kasumpti), Sanjeev Chauhan (Chotta Shimla), Rama Kumari (Vikasnagar), Renu Chauhan (Kangna Dhar), Nisha Thakur (New Shimla) and Puranmal (Khalini).

The Congress' second list of nine candidates included Satya Verma (Rulda Bhatta), Urmila Kashyap (Annadale), Jagdish Thakur (Summer Hill), Dalip Thapa ( Boileauganj), Simmi Nanda (Nabha), Vineet Sharma (Shanti Vihar), Kuldeep Thakur (Sangta), Kusum Chauhan (Panthaghati) and Alok Pathania (Kanlog).

The Congress had on Tuesday, released its first list of seven candidates.

According to the Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission, polling for the 34-ward Shimla Municipal Corporation will be held on May 2 and results will be declared on May 4.

Filing of nominations would be on April 13, 17 and 18 and scrutiny of nomination papers would take place on April 19. The last date of withdrawal of nomination is April 21 and symbols would be allotted on the same day, it added.

According to the notification, out of the 34 wards, three are reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, 17 for women, including three for Scheduled Caste women, while 14 wards will be unreserved.

The BJP wrested the prestigious civic body from the Congress for the first time in 32 years in 2017. The five-year term of SMC expired in June 2022 and elections are being held after a delay of nearly a year.