Dharamshala, Nov. 27 -- Training guns at each other, the legislators from the Congress-led state government and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sparred over the delay in panchayat elections on the first day of the winter session of Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly, which began in Dharamshala on Wednesday. The Opposition mounted its criticism of the state government over the delay in polls. Soon after the session began, BJP MLA Randhir Sharma moved an adjournment motion, under Rule 67, seeking a discussion on the delay in Panchayat polls, which was accepted by the speaker. While opposition BJP MLAs alleged that the Congress government is running away from polls, chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told the House that panchayat polls will be conducted within the framework of the law. The elections, for over 3,500 gram panchayats in the state, are due for December 2025-January 2026. The term of the present panchayats will end on January 31. The state government, citing "extensive damage to both private and government properties in the districts" as well as to roads during monsoon, in October, had told the state election commission to postpone the panchayat and local bodies elections in the state "till things improve on the ground". In an order issued under the Disaster Management Act, chief secretary-cum-chairman of the state executive committee Sanjay Gupta said, "Keeping in view the adverse situation of the damaged roads and public and private property, elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions will be held only after restoration of proper connectivity throughout the state." The Leader of Opposition (LoP), Jai Ram Thakur, attacking the state government, said, "The Congress government is delaying the panchayat elections because they know that the results will not be in their favour. In the last three years, they have done nothing for the development and welfare of the state. There is a resentment among people against the government." Thakur alleged that the Congress is using the disaster to run away from panchayat elections. Everyone has lost faith in this government and they understand their intentions. "I urge the government to rethink this and hold the panchayat polls on time because their delay is against the spirit of democracy," he said. Hitting back, CM Sukhu said, "Congress is the biggest protector of the Constitution, and the party provided reservation for women in panchayati raj institutions. The Opposition should ready itself for panchayat elections. During the previous BJP government's tenure, the Shimla municipal corporation elections were delayed by nine months." BJP MLA Randhir Sharma, who moved the adjournment motion, said, "The government is even confronting the State Election Commission, which is a threat to democracy. The government is neither clarifying when the elections will be held nor cooperating with the commission to initiate the election process. In such a situation, it is natural for people to question the intentions of the government. There is widespread confusion among public," he said....