Congress confident of winning SMC, says spokesman

Shimla, May 21 (UNI) Expressing optimism that Congress will maintain its hold over the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC), party spokesman Kuldeep Singh Rathore today said presence of large number of people in the Chief Minister's rallies was indicative of the fact.

Addressing mediapersons here today, he said the presence of large number of people in the Chief Minister's rallies in various wards of the town was indicative of which way the winds were blowing.

Rubbishing the BJP's claim of violating the model of code of conduct, Mr Rathore said instead of making wild allegations, they would do better to come out with concreate evidence.

Referring to party's national vice president Sahib Singh Verma's statement at a press conference yesterday that the Chief Minister was using the helicopter for campaigning in favour of the party candidates, he said it was being used for official purposes only.

He advised the CPM to sharpen its attack on the communal BJP instead of the Congress, which always stood for secularism and for ensuring their defeat.

Since the BJP has no major issues against the state government and the Congress, the BJP was trying to exploit the regional and religious sentiments of people of the state, he added.

UNI