A Cong Sweep In Shimla Boosts Sukhu, Priyanka

When the Congress won Himachal in December last year polling just 0.90% more votes than the BJP it wasn’t seen as an effective victory. Of course, the Congress had secured 15 more seats than the BJP.  However  all doubts were put to rest  on May 4 when under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu when the Congress swept  Shimla Municipal Corporation elections picking 24 of the 34 wards, leaving a measly 9 seats for the BJP. It now became quite clear that the Congress had found a new leader in the CM. In a post- Virbhadra Singh era, it seemed the party had found the right kind of person to fill his place.  Even as the Himachal BJP made an issue that the Congress was ignoring late Virbhadra Singh and had not used his posters in the civic polls, Congress sources point out that even late Virbhadra had never managed to win 24 wards in Shimla during his lifetime. Which means what had essentially worked for Sukhu, who had risen from the ranks, is that he had begun delivering on election promises including the old pension scheme. Zeroing in on Sukhu as CM and delivering in Himachal would definitely go a long way in boosting Priyanka Gandhi’s credentials as a leader. In fact, it is for this reason that the Congress decided to showcase Sukhu in Bengaluru at a presser on May 5 itself.