Old photo used for indicative purpose only
Shimla, Nov 3,
What the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh saw as a simple administrative tweak may have turned into a full-blown political storm. The ordinance extending the tenure of the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) Mayor and Deputy Mayor from 2.5 to 5 years has sparked an insurgence within the ruling party, exposing widening cracks.
The government’s decision—rushed through without consultation—has enraged a large section of Congress councillors who had been preparing for a leadership rotation scheduled for November 15. Under the previous arrangement, the Mayor’s post was to be reserved for an SC woman and the Deputy Mayor’s post for a general category male councillor.
Now, with that transition halted by the ordinance, nearly 15 of 24 Congress councillors in the 34-member House have voiced their anger, accusing the government of “betraying internal democracy” and “rewarding a few at the cost of many.”
A delegation of these councillors is expected to meet Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu soon to register their protest. Several within the party privately admit the timing of the ordinance could not have been worse — coming amid simmering factionalism, delayed reconstitution of block and district committees, and the absence of a new state Congress president.
What was intended as a move to ensure “continuity in governance” has instead created an image of centralised control and mistrust within the ranks. The ordinance has frozen the political mobility that many councillors saw as their turn in the party’s internal power cycle.
“This is a self-inflicted wound,” said a senior Congress insider, hinting that decisions driven by a handful in the Secretariat are alienating the base. “When Panchayat elections are around the corner, you don’t alienate your grassroots foot soldiers.”
BJP sharpens knives amid Congress turmoil
The BJP, which holds nine seats in the SMC, has wasted no time in capitalising on the unrest. It has announced plans to bring a no-confidence motion against Mayor Surinder Chauhan and Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal. If even a handful of disgruntled Congress councillors abstain or switch sides, the Congress’s comfortable majority could evaporate overnight — echoing the Solan Municipal Corporation fiasco, where infighting cost the ruling party control.
Political observers see the crisis as a test of CM Sukhu’s political acumen and ability to contain growing dissent. The Shimla MC—the oldest civic body in North India and a traditional Congress stronghold—is now at the epicentre of a political drama that could spill over into the upcoming local body elections.
Leadership inertia adds fuel
Adding to the turmoil, the Congress’s state-level organisational paralysis continues. The delay in appointing a new Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president and restructuring grassroots committees has left the ruling party without a coherent chain of command.
The fallout from the SMC decision, therefore, has magnified into a broader perception of disarray — one that the opposition is eager to amplify.
From Shimla to Solan, the pattern repeats
Observers note that this is not an isolated episode. From Solan to Shimla, the Congress seems to be struggling to manage its own victories. “The government is winning elections but losing control,” said one political analyst. “The Mayor ordinance is just the latest example of how short-term decisions can create long-term fractures.”
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