’ s ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁transfer ▁to ▁Gu ang z hou ▁opened ▁up ▁space ▁for ▁P eng ▁Ch ong ▁to ▁become ▁ 1 st ▁C CP ▁Secretary ▁and ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Ji ang su ▁Revolution ary ▁Committee . ▁This ▁brief ▁role ▁position ed ▁him ▁to ▁play ▁a ▁more ▁p iv otal ▁role ▁in ▁neutral izing ▁the ▁Gang ▁of ▁Four ’ s ▁supp or ters ▁in ▁Shang hai ▁following ▁the ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁coup ▁d ’ état . ▁P eng , ▁General ▁Su ▁Z hen h ua ▁and ▁labor ▁politico ▁Ni ▁Zh if u ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁Shang hai ▁to ▁take ▁power ▁from ▁the ▁radical ▁left , ▁while ▁long - time ▁al ly ▁X u ▁J iat un ▁remained ▁behind ▁as ▁Ji ang su ▁secretary . ▁ ▁National ▁Affairs ▁Although ▁P eng ▁was ▁nomin ally ▁ 3 rd ▁C CP ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Shang hai , ▁his ▁two ▁nom inal ▁super iors ’ ▁national - level ▁respons ib ilities ▁left ▁him ▁as ▁de ▁fact o ▁b oss . ▁As ▁a ▁reward ▁for ▁his ▁loyal ty ▁and ▁efficiency ▁in ▁p urg ing ▁Shang hai , ▁he ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁the ▁polit b uro ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁P eng ▁added ▁a ▁National ▁People ' s ▁Congress ▁( N PC ) ▁Vice ▁Chair mans hip ▁to ▁his ▁titles ▁( 1 9 7 8 – 8 7 ), ▁and ▁was ▁formally ▁named ▁Shang hai ▁ 1 st ▁Secretary ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁due