The Shimla civic body elections are crucial for all political parties in the state as the polls are being seen as a precursor to the assembly elections which are scheduled later this year. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to contest the upcoming Shimla municipal corporation (MC) elections only if they are held on party symbols, says the party’s state in-charge Satyendar Jain.

In a press briefing, Stayender Jain said, that AAP will contest the Shimla MC polls only if it is held on party symbols. But, from what we have learned, the incumbent BJP government is not keen on holding the election on party symbols. It is likely that the MC elections will be held on the basis of candidates. If that happens, AAP will not contest the civic polls.

Civic polls in Shimla are likely to be held in May as the current BJP-led civic body’s tenure is slated to end on June 2. Shimla has 41 wards, of which 21 are reserved for women, 17 for the general category, and four for the Scheduled Caste (SC) category.

"AAP will not contest because then the BJP will take away all our winning candidates. By now, the AAP has reached a state where our party’s symbol - the broom - has gained significant popularity. Without any party symbol, why would anybody vote for the AAP? At present, our strength in Shimla is based more on the party symbol, the name of AAP, and (party chief) Arvind Kejriwal than any candidate whom we would have otherwise chosen,” he said.