By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Narendra Nagar (Tehri Garhwal), 11 Jun: The results of the Narendra Nagar Municipal Council elections have been declared following counting today. With the Congress candidate’s nomination having been rejected, BJP nominee and former council chairman Rajendra Vikram Singh Panwar was declared elected unopposed to the post of chairman. Alongside this, BJP also secured a majority in the council board, winning four of the seven ward seats, while Congress won three. The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal failed to open its account. It may be reminded here that the BJP candidates had the strong backing of the local MLA and Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal who had actively campaigned for the party candidates in Narendra Nagar.
Political observers have described the outcome as a reflection of public endorsement of development works carried out under the leadership of local MLA and Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal, as well as the organisational strength of the BJP. Voters gave a clear mandate in favour of stability and development, making BJP the largest party in the board while ensuring Congress retains a significant presence in opposition.
Counting was conducted under tight security at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Negi Government Inter College, Narendra Nagar. Assistant Returning Officer Neeraj Kumar confirmed that eight voters exercised the NOTA option across the seven wards. In Ward No 1, BJP‑supported candidate Mamta Devi won with 249 votes, defeating Congress’s Rajni who secured 90, while UKD’s Kalpana Rawat polled 50. Ward No 2 was won by Congress’s Abha Panwar with 148 votes against BJP’s Prakash Ramola who received 137. In Ward No 3, BJP’s Sachin Bhandari secured 211 votes, defeating Congress‑supported independent Arvind Rawat with 143. Ward No 4 went to Congress’s Ravi Negi with 184 votes, while BJP’s Shail Gusain polled 159. Ward No 5 was won by BJP’s Pushpa Rana with 176 votes against Congress’s Rajni who managed 59. In Ward No 6, Congress’s Rekha Arya won with 103 votes, narrowly defeating BJP’s candidate who secured 96. Ward No 7 was won by BJP’s Saket Bijalwan with 169 votes, defeating Congress’s Jitendra Chandpuri who polled 56.
The BJP has managed to retain its previous tally of four seats, while Congress maintained three, mirroring the last election outcome. The unopposed election of Rajendra Vikram Singh Panwar as chairman further consolidated BJP’s control over the council. UKD, which was once a popular party in the region, failed to win any seat. Supporters of the local MLA and cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal claim that the minister spends a considerable time in his constituency and personally monitors development projects there and that the victory is indicative of the public support that he receives in his constituency.
It may be recalled that the Narendra Nagar municipal elections had been delayed earlier due to disputes over delimitation, particularly regarding the inclusion of Badehra village near Kunja Puri. Opposition parties alleged that the elections were deliberately postponed to convert the reserved seat into a general one, enabling BJP to field a strong candidate.
