Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was in Himachal Pradesh’s capital Shimla on Saturday as counting of votes took place in Karnataka.
The Congress party defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka assembly elections with the final tally of 136 out of 224 seats. As the party celebrated the victory that was quite clear from early trends in the morning, Priyanka went about her day in Shimla that began with an early morning visit to ancient Jakhu Temple to pay her obeisance to Lord Hanuman.
Later, Priyanka took a leisure stroll on the Ridge and walked into Indian Coffee House. Established in 1959, Indian Coffee House happens to be a busiest eatery in Shimla. It’s also a favourite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has often stopped by the coffee house during his visits to Shimla.
On Saturday, it was turn of Priyanka to ‘walk the talk’ in Shimla as she drove to the Ridge along with Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Pratibha Singh with Cabinet ministers also following her.
This was Priyanka’s first visit to the Indian coffee House, which appeared to be a planned visit.
“She sat relaxed and enjoyed coffee along with other dignitaries. Priyanka ji also received greetings from the party workers, hugged a few, and even touched the feet of elderly women. Tourists and locals also posed with her for selfies.
She obliged,” said Naresh Chauhan, Chief Minister’s Sukhu’s Principal Media Advisor.
Chauhan said when asked for her choice, Priyanka asked for a black coffee.
Priyanka was in the iconic coffee house for around 20-25 minutes.
Before visiting the Indian Coffee House, Priyanka drove to Rajiv Bhawan, the Congress office, and interacted with Congress workers, exchanging greetings over Karnataka election victory.
Priyanka also visited Maria Brothers, an antique bookstore, and Minerva shop, another leading booksstore and publishing house at the Mall, Shimla.
Priyanka was received at the party office by PCC President Pratibha Singh, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Cabinet ministers, and party MLAs, beside newly-elected Congress councillors, who showered rose petals on her and danced to the beat of the drums.
Priyanka said, “I congratulate the people of Karnataka. They have sent a message across the state that the public want politics that resolves their issues, politics where their issues are discussed. The People of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh have proven that divisive politics will not work anymore.”
Priyanka said the people of Karnataka had kept their focus only on issues like inflation, unemployment, and corruption and voted on it. The people want development and have rejected divisive politics.
Priyanka thanked the people of Karnataka for “giving a historic mandate” and said the credit for such a victory goes to party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former AICC president Rahul Gandhi who had camped there and earlier took out Bharat Jodo Yatra.
“Out of 91 constituencies where the yatra passed, 75 per cent of the seats have been won by Congress,” said Priyanka.
Earlier on Saturday, Priyanka drove to Lord Hanuman temple at Jakhu and took the blessings of Bajrang Bali. She also performed puja and sat there for a while to pay her obeisance. The visit was completely unscheduled and surprised many devotees at the temple. The temple trust functionaries also honoured her later.
Last week, all newly-elected Congress councillors had also visited the temple after the party had come under attack over the ‘Bajrang Bali’ issue by the BJP after Congress mentioned action on organisations like Bajrang Dal in Karnataka.
Priyanka is not new to Shimla. She owns a house at Chharabra, 13 km from Shimla where her mother Sonia Gandhi had also reached on Friday. It was during the Congress government led by late Virbhadra Singh that had granted relaxations under Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972 that enabled Priyanka to purchase the cottage. Since then, she has been frequently coming to Shimla and staying there.
