Shimla, May 3 -- With the nominations process for the first phase of urban local bodies (ULB) polls, to be held on May 17, closing on Saturday, both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have exuded confidence, sharpening their strategies as the campaign gathers pace. A total 1,426 candidates have filed nominations for polls of 51 urban local bodies and 4 municipal corporations. Kangra recorded the highest number of nominations with 269 candidates filing their papers. District-wise, 214 nominations were filed in Mandi, 167 in Shimla, 96 in Bilaspur, 113 in Chamba, 55 in Hamirpur, 125 in Kullu, 92 in Sirmaur, 158 in Solan, and 137 in Una. Terming these civic body polls as semi-final ahead of 2024 assembly polls, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Vinay Kumar said, "These elections are important, and we are fully prepared. We will contest with full strength," he said. Explaining the difference in approach between the strategies of Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, Vinay said, "Unlike the BJP's 'panna pramukh' model, the Congress will adopt a modified approach with separate in-charges for different sections of voter lists to ensure deeper engagement." He expressed confidence that the Congress will perform strongly in Himachal Pradesh and other states, stating that the organisational revamp and grassroots outreach will help the party regain its strength. Public works department minister Vikaramditya Singh said the Congress would contest strongly based on the performance of the state government under chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and expressed confidence. Former state Congress president Pratibha Singh called upon party workers to come forward and strengthen the Congress party in the upcoming polls for Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local bodies, including the four municipal corporations. BJP state president Rajiv Bindal said BJP is entering the electoral fray across the entire state with great strength and expressed confidence in their win, saying that people of state are fed up with the Congress government, would cast a decisive vote in favour of the BJP this time. He said that on the final day for filing nominations for the civic body elections in Himachal, BJP is fielding its candidates in the state's four MCs-Dharamshala, Palampur, Solan, and Mandi-as well as in 22 municipal councils and 25 nagar panchayats. Bindal stated that the BJP would contest the elections in the four Municipal Corporations under its party symbol, whereas in other civic body polls, the elections would be contested through party-supported candidates, in accordance with the guidelines of the Election Commission. Flaying the Congress government, he said,"The grandiose guarantees that the Congress offered to come to power have today proven to be complete lies," he said....