Independent candidates emerged a decisive force in the the Kullu Municipal Council elections on Sunday. The BJP-backed candidates won in four of the total 11 wards, Congress-backed candidates won in three while four Independent candidates emerged victorious. In a nail-biting finish, Kubja Devi won in Ward No. 2 by only one vote, marking her fourth consecutive victory in the municipal elections. Pushpa Devi, wife of Ram Singh, former vice-chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC), also emerged winner. Meanwhile, Amina Gaur, backed by a former MC president Gopal Krishan Mahant, lost the elections by 145 votes.
The president’s post is reserved for a woman candidate and eight women candidates have won the elections six wards were reserved for them.
In the Manali Municipal Council, the BJP-backed candidates won six of the seven seats while only one Congress-backed candidate emerged winner. Former MC president Manoj Larje once again retained his seat.
The polling for the elections to five urban local bodies in Kullu district remained peaceful with an overall voter turnout of 71.37 per cent. Women voters marginally outnumbered men in exercising their right to franchise. As many as 15,336 of the total 22,527 voters exercised their right to franchise in the district, including 7,580 women. The overall male polling percentage in the district stood at 71.26 per cent while 71.50 per cent women cast their vote.
The Kullu Municipal Council registered a voter turnout of 66.44 per cent while the Manali Municipal Council recorded 66.67 per cent polling. The highest polling percentage of 78.95 was recorded in Banjar Nagar Panchayat. Nirmand Nagar Panchayat witnessed overall 73.90 per cent voting. In Bhuntar Nagar Panchayat, a voter turnout of 70.26 per cent was registered.
