Historic victory for CPIM in Shimla Municipal Corporation Elections

Communist Party of India (Marxists) has created history in hill town of Shimla by winning the posts of Mayor and deputy mayor by huge margins. Results announced on Monday has left Congress and BJP shocked as both parties were claiming to win the elections comfortably.

CPI-M’s mayoral candidate Sanjay Chauhan won the election by defeating his nearest BJP rival SS Minhas, a former surgeon, by 7,868 votes. Chauhan got 21,903 votes. Congress candidate and sitting mayor Madhu Sood finished third with 13,278 votes. 

The state assembly elections are due in December, 2012 but is likely to take place in October.

For the post of deputy mayor, Tikender Panwar of the CPI-M won the post by defeating his nearest rival Digvijay Chauhan of the BJP by a margin of 4,778 votes. Panwar polled 21,196 votes. Congress candidate Devinder Chauhan finished third (13,205 votes).

Since the creation of Shimla municipal corporation in 1851, this is for the first time when CPI(M) has clinched the top two political posts of the civic body. Congress for last 26 years was enjoying majority but this time voters in Queen of Hills decided for a change.

BJP has emerged as the single largest party by winning 12 councillors seat while Congress won 10 seats. CPI (M) besides winning two mayoral posts also won three councilors seat.

Election to the Shimla municipal corporation are considered as mini assembly polls as it seats the voting trend for assembly polls which is due late this year. Considering the fact that people from all 12 districts of state residing in Shimla participate in the corporation election political parties consider the results crucial to understand voter's nerve.

But today's election have shown that people are in favour of change as they have rejected the Congress and BJP candidates by favouring CPIM) for mayor and deputy mayors post. Union minister Virbhadra Singh while campaigned for Congress candidates, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his entire cabinet had thrown their weight behind BJP candidates. CPI (M) candidates besides relying on their state leadership had invited Sitaram Yechury as star campaigner.