Bhardwaj vs Bragta

BJP Shimla MLA and chief whip in the Vidhan Sabha Suresh Bhardwaj and state BJP vice-president and former Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta are out to outsmart each other. Both are patting their back claiming victory for their candidates in the MC elections. They are setting their sight on the Assembly elections. Bragta and his men are out to “corner Bhardwaj and his men”. However, Bhardwaj has scored over Bragta because Mayor Kusum Sadret and Deputy Mayor Rakesh Sharma belong to the Bhardwaj camp. Bragta-backed councillors were disappointed as none of them could get the Deputy Mayor's post despite lobbying by Bragta, revealed insiders. The state Assembly could see more brickbats among “Bragta men and Bhardwaj men" as MC elections are just a trailer before the Assembly polls, they quipped.

Credit for BJP

The war of attrition over the Smart City status to Shimla, which reached on the peak with the BJP attacking both Congress and CPM during the Shimla MC polls, has come to an end. It is ironical that the declaration was made just three days after the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor on June 20, depriving Mayor Sanjay Chauhan and Deputy Mayor Tikender Panwar of the credit. A major promise made by the BJP has been fulfilled without much efforts while there is clamour among other political parties to take credit.

Senior citizens show the way

It was heartening and inspiring to see some elderly and prominent citizens of the town take part in the Half Police Marathon organised on The Ridge. The marathon by the Himachal Police with the mission “Drug Free Himachal” was a big crowd puller as a total of 2,308 participants took part in it. Those who stole the show and left a lasting impression on people was 83-year-old RR Verma, former DGP. Verma, who is an avid walker, makes it a point to walk to The Mall from his house in Khalini, irrespective of whether it is raining or snowing. He also remained Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission. He was the winner of the 3-km dream run along with three others, including VC Bhardwaj, Shubhida and Anand Singh Rawat. Another participant, Dr Suman Trehan, exhibited the same grit and fitness in the 10-km mini marathon (75 years and above category). She is another person who enjoys her walk to and fro from her home in Knolls Wood to the town. Lean and fit, she believes in the saying – “Practise what you preach” as she is a doctor, who advises people to have a healthy life style. Seeing such senior citizens lead by example, one is left wondering about the younger generation and their insistence on preferring driving than walking.

With inputs from Kuldeep Chauhan, Bhanu Lohumi and Pratibha Chauhan