Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, January 1
On New Year’s Eve, as dusk settled over the Queen of Hills, Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu chose the simplest of public appearances: a walk. The Chief Minister moved slowly along Shimla’s Mall Road and onto the Ridge, where tourists pressed shoulder to shoulder against the cold, cameras already raised. There were no barricades, no podiums—only brief conversations, quick smiles, and the easy choreography of selfies as children tugged at parents’ sleeves and visitors asked for photographs.
At the stalls lining the Ridge, Sukhu paused to look over displays of Himachal’s winter fare—local cuisine steaming against the chill, handicrafts laid out in careful rows. He spoke to stallholders, scanned the arrangements, and lingered just long enough for the crowd to close in again.
The Chief Minister’s presence blended into the evening’s rhythm: tourists drifting, vendors calling out, lights coming on as the sky dimmed.
Accompanying him were Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan, Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, principal media adviser Naresh Chauhan, Shimla Mayor Surender Chauhan and Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, alongside senior officials.
By the time the walk ended, the Ridge had reclaimed its usual New Year celebrations.
