Munish Sood
Mandi
In a decisive organisational push ahead of the 2026 Municipal Corporation elections in Mandi Sadar, the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee has unveiled a comprehensive ward-wise committee, deploying senior ministers, MLAs, chairpersons and party functionaries across all 15 wards.
The move is being seen as a clear replication of the long-established grassroots model of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has relied for years on booth-level and ward-level micro-management. This is the first time Congress has rolled out such a structured, top-heavy field deployment in Mandi—effectively a well-planned copy-paste strategy aimed at matching BJP’s organisational strength on the ground.
Senior Leadership Structure
As per the official order issued by General Secretary (Organisation) Vinod Zinta, the committee is led by:
- Senior Observer: Mukesh Agnihotri
- In-Charge: Vikramaditya Singh and Rohit Thakur
- Co-Incharge: Champa Thakur (District Congress Committee President)
Ward-Wise In-Charge List
The party has assigned prominent leaders to each ward, ensuring direct accountability and intensive campaigning at the grassroots level:
- Ward 1: Budhi Singh Thakur (Chairman)
- Ward 2: Chander Shekhar (MLA)
- Ward 3: Anuradha Rana (MLA)
- Ward 4: Shashi Sharma (Vice Chairman)
- Ward 5: Rakesh Kalia (MLA)
- Ward 6: Suresh Kumar (MLA)
- Ward 7: Ranjeet Rana (MLA)
- Ward 8: Bhuvneshwar Gaur (MLA)
- Ward 9: Sanjeev Guleria (Chairman, APMC Mandi)
- Ward 10: Sudershan Babloo (MLA)
- Ward 11: Vivek Sharma (MLA)
- Ward 12: Vikram Sharma (Chairman)
- Ward 13: Yashwant Chajta (Vice Chairman)
- Ward 14: Maheshwar Chauhan (Vice Chairman)
- Ward 15: Lal Singh Kaushal (Vice Chairman)
Legal and Media Setup
To support the campaign, the party has also appointed:
- Legal Advisors: Advocate Jagdish Thakur and Advocate Bhim Thakur
- Media In-Charge: Vikas Kapoor
- Social Media In-Charge: Dinesh Patiyal and Hitesh Thakur
Leaders Set for Intensive Ground Campaign
With this structure in place, Mandi is expected to witness an unprecedented level of political mobilisation. Multiple MLAs, chairpersons and vice chairpersons will now be seen actively campaigning on the streets across all wards—engaging directly with voters, managing booth-level dynamics, and addressing local issues.
This hands-on deployment marks a sharp shift in Congress strategy, bringing its senior leadership face-to-face with voters at the ward level—an approach BJP has been executing for years.
Clear Instructions and Accountability
The order directs all appointed leaders to assume charge of their respective wards from May 7, stressing active involvement and responsibility. The emphasis indicates that individual performance at the ward level will play a critical role in the party’s overall electoral outcome.
High-Voltage Contest Ahead
With Congress adopting a structured, BJP-style election management system, the upcoming Mandi civic polls are set for a high-intensity battle. The effectiveness of this replicated model will now be tested on the ground, where visibility, coordination and voter connect are expected to determine the final outcome.
