Shimla Municipal polls: BJP emerges as single largest party; Modi, Shah hail verdict

The BJP today emerged as the single largest party, winning 17 out of 34 seats, in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls, just one short of clear majority and the hill city is now set to get a mayor from the saffron party for the first time.

The Congress, which is the ruling party in Himachal Pradesh, bagged 13 seats. Independent candidates won from three wards while the CPI(M) managed to retain one seat. According to the BJP’s claims, a party rebel has extended his support to the party. As the BJP seems likely to clinch a majority, this will be the first time that it will rule the key municipal corporation, for which the elections were first held in 1986.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described BJP’s victory in the Shimla Municipal Corporation election as a reflection of people’s faith in development politics. “BJP’s victory in the Shimla Municipal Corporation is historic & yet again reflects people’s faith in development politics…thank the people of Shimla for their support & congratulate karyakartas (workers) & leaders for their hard work,” he said in a series of tweets.

BJP President Amit Shah too tweeted about the result and branded the verdict as an endorsement of …read more