Shimla, June 14: Notwithstanding the recent verbal duel between them, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and state Congress president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday jointly hit the election campaign, presenting a united face of the Congress in the elections to the prestigious Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC).
Even as both the leaders have remained engaged in hectic campaigning for the last two days, the two shared dais at New Shimla, Patyog, Kangnadhar and Dhalli. Today was the first day when the two leaders jointly addressed public meetings in support of the party-backed candidates.
The two will tomorrow jointly release the Congress vision document for Shimla called “Shimla Sankalp.” Virbhadra and Sukhu undertook joint campaign in a bid to dispel the notion that the Congress is a divided house.“ Congress has always worked towards maintaining the glory of Shimla which has remained the erstwhile summer capital of the British and we remain committed to this resolve,” said Virbhadra.
He said his government had cleared several schemes and projects to ensure that Shimla retained its glory and attracted tourists from world over.The Chief Minister today campaigned in Totu and Majhyaat wards along with his son and the state Youth Congress president Vikramaditya Singh.
Virbhadra visited more than 10 of the 34 wards that form part of Shimla MC.Addressing the gathering in support of the Congress-backed candidate Kusum Thakur (New Shimla) Mahima Thakur (Patyog) and Monika (Kangnadhar), Sukhu said the Congress remained committed to providing the best facilities and living conditions to the people of the state capital.
“Our motto remains ‘kaam hi pehchaan’ and it is on the basis of the development work done by the successive Congress regimes and the Congress-dominated SMC that we are seeking votes,” he remarked. The Congress chief said Shimla has had a BJP legislator for the last 10 years and the corporation was under the control of the CPM.
“Both have failed to fulfill the promises they made to the people of the town during the election and now they are once again trying to make lofty promises to take the people for a ride,” he said. He said the Congress was committed to restoring the lost glory of Shimla while the Mayor and Deputy Mayor had failed to utilize the money released by the state government for the SMC.
Sukhu said providing adequate clean drinking water to the residents was the top priority of the Congress regime. He added that it is with the support of the public that Congress will take Shimla to even greater heights.
Source Tribune
