THE CPI(M) Shimla district conference took place on November 5-6 in the small town of Rampur, Shimla. Prior to the conference, a large public meeting was held, addressed by the Party's district secretary, Sanjay Chauhan. In his speech, Chauhan criticised the government for amending laws to favour corporate interests. He highlighted the devastating natural disasters that struck Himachal Pradesh in 2023 and 2024, which caused widespread destruction of homes and farmland. Despite this, he noted, the central government had failed to offer any relief to the state.