Amid ticket war in Cong and BJP, CPM starts campaign

SHIMLA: At a time when the Congress and BJP leaders are jostling for tickets in New Delhi, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has declared its candidates for 14 constituencies and started the election campaign.

CPM candidate from Shimla, Sanjay Chauhan, who is the former mayor of the capital town started his campaign from Jakhu area of the town on Sunday.

Talking to mediapersons, Chauhan said, “I am among the people again. Our party has a pro-people agenda. We are opposing the anti-people policies of both the Congress and the BJP.”

Chauhan said that when he was the mayor, he tried to provide facilities to the people of the town. “But there was not much cooperation from the state government.

We are opposing the antipeople policies of both the Congress and BJP SANJAY CHAUHAN, CPM candidate from Shimla

Now, the BJP in Shimla MC is wreaking havoc in the system,” he said.

He added that during his tenure, efforts were made to repair pipelines. “The result is before us today—we are getting 40-50 MLD water in a day,” the former mayor said.

Sanjay Chauhan contested for the post of mayor in 2012 and secured more than 18,000 votes. Prior to this, Chauhan contested elections from Shimla urban and succeeded to contain its vote bank.

The other big name from the party is Rakesh Singha, who won the election from the Shimla urban seat by a margin of 159 votes in 1993.

Singha contested the last election from Theog in 2012 and secured more than 10,000 votes.

Two Left party candidates, Balak Ram and Paras Ram, made it to the assembly in 1967 general elections. Tulsi Ram of CPM won from Balh in 1972.

Then there was a void for a long time.

Since then, the Left parties have not been able to make it to the Vidhan Sabha.