People voted for Cong in SMC polls because of good governance in HP: Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said people voted for the Congress in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls because of the party's good governance

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said people voted for the Congress in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls because of the party's good governance in the state in the past five months.

The Congress won 24 of the 34 wards in the SMC. The BJP won nine wards and CPI(M) one, while the AAP, which had contested on 21 wards, drew a blank.

Addressing a press conference, Sukhu thanked the people of the capital city for voting for the Congress.

We are here to bring positive change in the system and not to enjoy power. We would work with Seva Bhav, Sukhu said, adding the development of Shimla city would be the top priority.

He said the BJP had postponed the SMC elections for almost 11 months to escape defeat.

The Congress has implemented the old pension scheme for the employees and also gave Rs 1,500 per month to 2.40 lakh women in the age group of 18 to 60 as promised in the party manifesto released ahead of the assembly polls, the chief minister said.

Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh accompanied Sukhu at the press conference.

Former chief minister and leader of opposition Jairam Thakur said he accepts the verdict of the people.

However, he accused the Congress of influencing the SMC polls.

Thakur alleged that people living outside Shimla were made to cast votes in the civic polls.

This mandate is not purely of the people living in Shimla, he added.

Congress MLAs, ministers and even the chief minister voted in other assembly constituencies in the assembly polls held in November 2022 and now they voted in Shimla Municipal Corporation elections, he alleged.

My vote was also registered in Shimla and we could have also voted in Shimla, but I, along with my family members, through a letter got the names deleted as our votes were registered in my assembly constituency Seraj as well," Thakur said.

We lost three seats from a thin margin of 8, 29 and 34 votes, he said.