Shimla, June 7 -- High drama unfolded during the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected zila parishad members in Shimla on Saturday after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, media personnel and supporters were asked to leave the venue by the district administration, triggering protests and heated exchanges. The BJP leaders and workers, raised slogans against the district administration and during the commotion, there was also alleged jostling involving officials, including deputy commissioner Anupam Kashyap. Election for ZP chairperson, vice-chairperson postponed Following the commotion, the election for the Zila Parishad chairperson and vice-chairperson was postponed. The BJP supporters resorted to sloganeering as Kashyap ordered the family members and supporters of Zila Parishad members as well as mediapersons to leave the Bachat Bhawan hall. While the oath-taking ceremony proceeded inside the Bachat Bhawan, BJP supporters continued to raise slogans outside. As the DC was returning to his office after the ceremony, BJP supporters staged an aggressive protest. Personnel from the Quick Response Team (QRT) escorted the DC to his office under tight security amid minor scuffling. Senior BJP leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan, former minister Suresh Bhardwaj and BJP Shimla district president Keshav Chauhan, condemned the administration's actions and accused the state government of undermining democratic institutions. Mahajan criticised the district administration's handling of the event and alleged that BJP supporters were being unfairly targeted. "I have been associated with Zila Parishad elections since 2000 and have never witnessed such an incident. Never before have supporters, family members or the media been prevented from attending an oath-taking ceremony," Mahajan said. "We were told that these were orders from above. The so-called Vyavstha Parivarthan promised by the government has instead become a collapse of the system," he remarked. Calling the situation "rule of unlaw" rather than rule of law, Mahajan said, "This reflects dictatorship and arrogance. The Congress government has little left politically and is trying to use administrative machinery to exert pressure." "We have the members. We will form the Zila Parishad. Fourteen members who supported us came together and remained united. BJP will elect the chairman and vice-chairman," he claimed. "They never wanted these elections to be held. The matter went to the High Court and Supreme Court before elections were finally conducted," he said. Senior BJP leader and former minister, Suresh Bhardwaj termed the incident "an assault on democracy", "This programme should have concluded peacefully. However, it appears that the state government, and particularly the CM, is acting with such arrogance that officials were instructed not to allow family members, media personnel or prominent citizens to attend even an oath-taking ceremony." "In protest against this, BJP workers raised objections. There was also pushing and shoving when the DC came outside amid the police presence. This amounts to an assault on democratic values," he said. So far there is no statement from the district authorities on the issue....