Himachal urban poll results reflect public confidence in Congress; party united with no groupism, says CM Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday (May 21, 2026) described the majority of Congress-backed candidates’ victory in the recent urban local body elections as a mid-term stamp of public approval on the party’s governance and administration.

“Congress-backed candidates won in 26 out of 48 municipal bodies in the state, proving that the public has full faith in the policies and welfare programmes of the Congress government. For a government that came to power in 2022, sustaining popularity through urban elections is a notable achievement, especially given the anti-incumbency pressures that typically build after remaining in office. The encouraging results suggest a pro-incumbency factor working in Congress’s favour,” Mr. Sukhu told The Hindu on Thursday (May 21, 2026).

“The win shows people’s faith in the Congress party’s good government and good governance. More importantly there’s no groupism in the party and party workers and leaders have been working unitedly. These elections are just a trailer ahead of the 2027 assembly polls. The Congress will repeat its government in the hill state as the people have faith in the government’s strong delivery oriented track record in education, healthcare and rural economy among other sectors,” he said.

Hitting out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Chief Minister said “The BJP’s anti-Himachal stance has been repeatedly exposed. The BJP neither stood with the people on the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant nor fought for the state’s interests during natural disasters, and equally failed to raise its voice on withdrawal of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act issue,” he alleged, adding “The people of Himachal understand all this.”

He said that the Congress party has fulfilled all the promises made during the 2022 Assembly elections and has gone beyond its guarantees in delivering its commitments. “Several schemes have been launched and effectively implemented for the welfare of women, labourers and marginalised sections of the society. Significant reforms have also been made in the field of education and healthcare and positive results are visible,” he added.