Congress dethrones BJP in Queen of Hills, sweeps Shimla MC polls

The Congress party returned to power in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) after a gap of 10 years, handing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a comprehensive defeat in the elections to one of the oldest civic bodies in the country. Results for which were declared on Thursday.

In the 34-member house, Congress romped home with 24 seats, securing an absolute majority. BJP, the party’s key rival, could secure only nine seats, eight less than its tally of 17 in the previous election.

CPI (M) secured a win from the Summer Hill Ward, the stronghold of the left party for decades. Virender Thakur, who defeated his nearest rival Jagdish Thakur by 78 votes, will be the sole party councillor in the civic body. The party had fielded only four candidates in this election.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which had fielded its candidate from 21 wards scored a duck, though managed to put a dent on the BJP’s chances across some wards.

The SMC election was also the first test for chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s popularity after he was chosen to lead the state nearly five months ago, one that he passed with flying colours.

While BJP lost the plot amid infighting and ticket distribution, the result is the reflection of support the Congress-led state government received from government employees.

BJP had replaced its state party chief Suresh Kashyap with Rajeev Bindal amid electioneering. The party contested the MC elections under the leadership of Suresh Kashyap, with party bigwigs also campaigning in the capital. Information and broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur held road shows, while former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur himself held meetings across different wards only for it all to come to a nought.

Women steal the show

Women candidates outshone their male counterparts, winning as many 21 of the 34 wards. Among the heavyweights, the former mayor and BJP candidate Satya Kaundal lost from Sanjauli ward to Congress’ Mamata Chandel by a margin of 196 votes.

Among the heavyweights, the former mayor and BJP candidate Satya Kaundal lost from Sanjauli ward to Congress’ Mamata Chandel by a margin of 196 votes. Another former mayor Sohan Lal, who rebelled against Congress and contested as an independent, lost from Krishnanagar ward. Congress’ Shimla (Urban) block president, meanwhile, lost from Bharari Ward.

The polling for SMC was held on May 2 after being delayed by one year due to a petition in the High Court challenging the delimitation of wards.

The previous BJP government had increased the number of wards in SMC from 34 to 41, a decision that was overturned by Congress after coming to power in the state paving way for the civic body elections.

In the 2017 elections, the BJP won the SMC for the first time, since 1986 when the first election to the Civic body was held. The saffron party had won 17 out of 34 seats and formed the Municipal Corporation.

The CPI (M) had won the mayor and deputy mayor’s posts in 2012 in the first and only direct election to the top posts.

Dubbing it a “historic” win, Sukhu said, “Congress won 24 seats for the first time in municipal corporation. It’s a mandate for the state’s governance. The outcome is sure to have a bearing on the future elections since the polls were held on the party symbols.”

Conceding defeat, former CM Jai Ram said, “BJP accepts and respects the mandate given by the people of the capital town.” He, however, was quick to allege misuse of official machinery.

Delighted over the Congress’ spectacular victory in Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) the state party chief Pratibha Singh expressed gratitude to the voters for reposing faith in the Grand Old Party.

Crediting the victory to the party workers, Pratibha said she was grateful to them for thededication and sincerity with which they have performed their duties. She also expressed gratitude to all the party leaders including AICC Himachal in-charge Rajeev Shukla, co-incharge Tajendra Pal Singh Bittu, chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri for leading the party to a victory in the civic body polls.

“The hard work of workers after winning the assembly elections has paid off and the Congress party has registered a victory in SMC and by-election to Palampur Municipal Corporation,” she said.

Sukhu said the mandate was also a stamp of approval on the pro-people decision taken by the Congress government.

“This victory comes with a huge responsibility,” he said, adding that good administration is necessary for good governance. “The government is finding out new resources and in the next four years the economy of the state would be back on track while in 10 years, Himachal would be a most prosperous state in the country,” the CM said. He reiterated the party’s commitment to develop Shimla. “Along with widening the circular road of the city, appropriate steps are being taken to provide clean drinking water to the public,” he said.

Former CM and BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur, while accepting the people’s mandate, accused the government of misusing the official machinery to influence the voter “The results were not as per expectations, but the BJP accepts and respects themandate given by the people of the capital town,” he said.