Ahead of the upcoming lok Sabha polls, the ruling Congress and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems to be sailing in the same boat. Both the political parties are facing the factional infighting.

While Chandigarh Congress has six ticket aspirants, there are four aspirants in BJP to get party’s ticket to contest elections from Chandigarh parliamentary seat. In city Congress, local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, president District Congress Committee urban IHS lucky, former senior deputy Mayor Bhupinder Singh Badheri, former councilor Chander Mukhi Sharma, Chaman lal Sharma and Kewal Ram are the six contenders in the race to get party’s ticket.

On the other hand, the infighting among three senior leaders Chandigarh BJP president Sanjay Tandon, former city MP Satya Pal Jain and former Union Minister Harmohan Dhawan has paved way for Kirron Kher, to become fourth contender to get BJP’s ticket to contest in general elections from Chandigarh constituency seat.

Both city Congress and BJP is divided in several factions and local leaders are trying hard to get party’s ticket. While rebels in Congress come to the fore on Monday prior to the meeting of city Congress election committee, the infighting in BJP was apparent during party’s meet on Wednesday to decide candidate for the party. The meeting called by BJP on Wednesday ended without any outcome following heated arguments among party workers and it was decided to leave the choice of candidate to the senior leaders.

Out of the power for more than a decade, the BJP is trying hard to wrest Chandigarh seat from Congress in the upcoming elections. On the other hand, after Railway Board Bribery Scam embroiling local MP Bansal, Congress’ troubles have intensified. Chandigarh — a Union Territory and the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana — is an important political centre of northern India and the political parties have already got into poll mode to woo the city voters of the city.