BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Wednesday, 22 July 2026 congratulated Pawan Lambardar and Avinash Manan on their unopposed election as president and vice-president respectively of the Zila Parishad Una, calling the result proof of unshakeable public faith in the Bharatiya Janata Party in his Hamirpur parliamentary constituency.

Context

Thakur, posting in Hindi on X, said the unopposed victories were a reflection of 'kांग्रेस के कुशासन' ('Congress misgovernance') and a crumbling support base for the ruling party in Himachal Pradesh. He declared that the people had made up their minds to 'remove Congress and bring back BJP' in the coming assembly elections. The post also extended his 'heartfelt congratulations and boundless good wishes' to the two newly elected office-bearers.

Una district falls within the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency, which Thakur has represented for multiple terms. Local-body outcomes in this belt are closely watched by both national parties as a barometer of grassroots sentiment.

Policy Backdrop

The Indian National Congress formed the Himachal Pradesh government in December 2022 after defeating the incumbent BJP in the state assembly elections. Since 1985, the state has alternated between the two parties at every assembly election — a pattern that makes every mid-term local poll a politically charged contest.

BJP leaders from Himachal, including Thakur, have consistently cited strong performances in panchayat and zila parishad elections under a Congress government as evidence of eroding support for the state administration. An unopposed sweep at the zila parishad level amplifies that narrative significantly.

Stakeholders and Impact

Pawan Lambardar as the new Zila Parishad president and Avinash Manan as vice-president will oversee district-level development planning and fund allocation for Una, directly affecting rural infrastructure, health, and education delivery for residents across the district. Thakur expressed confidence that 'under your leadership, Zila Parishad Una will write a new chapter of development.'

For the state Congress government, an unopposed loss at this tier — without even fielding a contest — hands the opposition a ready-made talking point ahead of the next assembly cycle. Rural voters in Una, who form a significant share of the Hamirpur constituency's electorate, are the primary stakeholders in how this local body performs over its tenure.

What's Next

All political attention in Himachal Pradesh is now tilting toward the 2027 state assembly elections, with both BJP and Congress treating every local-body result as a rehearsal. BJP will seek to consolidate the momentum from Una into broader candidate selection and organisational groundwork across the state's 68 assembly segments. The Congress government, meanwhile, faces pressure to demonstrate administrative delivery before the electoral cycle closes in.