Cong gets Shimla civic poll shock

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CPI(M) supporters celebrate the party’s victory in the municipal corporation elections in Shimla on Monday. — PTI

The oldest municipal corporation in the country, Shimla, on Monday gave a rude shock to the Congress party where it lost for the first time in almost three decades. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the 25-seat corporation with 12 seats whereas the CPI(M) captured the posts of mayor and deputy mayor, which were for the first time contested directly.
The Shimla Municipal Corporation election becomes significant in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections to be held by the end of this year. The Shimla Municipal Corporation was considered a Congress citadel as the party always captured the corporation since 1985.
Considered the barometer of the state politics, the corporation results have rattled the Congress as its mayor and deputy mayor candidates finished third in the triangular contest between the CPI(M), BJP and the Congress.
Even though a clear majority eluded all parties, the BJP won 12 seats, one short of a simple majority. The Congress captured 10 seats, down five from its tally in the previous corporation, whereas the CPI(M) managed to win three seats. In the previous term, the Congress had 15 members, the BJP eight and the CPI(M) two.
The Congress insiders are attributing this defeat to infighting amongst its senior leaders. One of the Congress candidates who lost the election by barely seven votes said that “our defeat is because some of the senior leaders failed to put up a united face in front of the electorate”. This, he added, is not good for the party and it has to work hard in order to win the Assembly elections. It cannot afford to take the BJP lightly, he added.
The elections saw 64.08 per cent polling on Sunday. The municipal corporation house has 29 councillors, including 25 elected ones, three nominated and the local legislator.