BJP fields Minhas for Shimla mayor

Shimla : S S Minhas and Digvijay Chauhan have been declared the BJP’s candidates late Sunday for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor for the Shimla civic polls to be held later this month .

The party has also announced the names of 24 candidates out of 25 wards . One is still undecided , a party spokesman told Sun Post .

On Saturday the Congress declared Madhu Sood and Devinder Chauhan its candidates for mayor and deputy mayor along with candidates for all 25 wards .

The CPIM was the first to declare its names for the top two posts , Sanjay Chauhan and Tikender Panwar . It is also fighting in 17 wards .

Monday is the last day for filing of nomination papers.

Direct elections for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor are taking place for the first time .

Polling takes place on May 27 and counting the next day .

The Shimla civic body is one of the oldest in the country and was founded in 1851 .

Since the committee became a corporation in the mid 1980s Congress has always held power of the civic body .

The outcome of the civic polls is seen as significant as the state assembly polls are due later this year .