CM Avoiding Elections by Extending Mayor, Deputy Mayor’s Tenure: Jairam Thakur

Shimla, October 25, 2025 — Former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur has sharply criticized the state government’s decision to extend the tenure of the Shimla Mayor and Deputy Mayor from two and a half years to five years, alleging that the move reflects the Chief Minister’s fear of facing elections.

Thakur said the government is “running away from elections” as it knows the public mood has turned against it and even Congress councillors might not support their own party’s mayoral candidate. He added that first the municipal and panchayat elections were postponed, and now the government is avoiding the mayor elections altogether.

“It’s shocking that the official press statement released by the government doesn’t even mention this decision — this shows clear dishonesty of intent,” Thakur remarked. He accused the ruling party of continuously evading democratic processes while claiming to bring about system change.

He further stated that the government’s “propaganda machinery” would now attempt to justify the move, despite its failure to govern effectively over the past three years, which he claimed had pushed the state 30 years backward.