The faction-ridden Congress in Haryana will not contest on its party symbol in the elections to five municipal corporations and two municipal committees to be held on December 16.

After holding a meeting with senior leaders of Haryana Congress in New Delhi on Thursday, AICC general secretary incharge for Delhi, PC Chacko announced that the party will not contest the civic body polls on its symbol.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, his son Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, CLP leader Kiran Choudhry, Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja were present at the meeting.

“The Congress has had a tradition of not contesting the local body elections on its symbol. Continuing the tradition, we have decided not to contest these elections on Congress symbol,” said PC Chacko while talking to the mediapersons after the meeting.

Both ruling BJP and main opposition party Indian National Lok Dal have already announced to contest on their party symbol in these elections.

It would be for the first time that direct election to the post of Mayor would be held in five civic bodies in the state.

The decision has come as a major blow to state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar who wanted the party to contest on its symbol and had even initiated process to shortlist candidates for mayoral post from five MCs.

However his detractor, former Chief Minister Bhupinder was of the opinion that the party should not contest on its symbol. Hooda’s close aide, MLA Kuldeep Sharma had even written to the party chief Rahul Gandhi against contesting the elections on Congress’ symbol.

After the meeting, Ashok Tanwar while talking to the mediapersons in New Delhi said that whatever the party high command has decided is accepted. Everyone knows my views on MC polls, but we accept the party decision, he said.

When asked whether he will approach Congress President Rahul Gandhi on this issue, Tanwar said it was Rahul Gandhi, who had appointed senior leader PC Chacko to decide over the issue and a decision has been taken now.

The electoral contest is for the seats of Mayor and members of all wards of five Municipal Corporations including Hisar, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Panipat and Karnal and of two Municipal committees including  Jakhal Mandi (Fatehabad) and  Pundri (Kaithal) on December 16. The result will be announced on December 19.

In the year 2017 also, Tanwar wanted the Congress to contest the Gurugram and Faridabad civic body polls on its symbol, but the party had eventually withdrawn as Hooda faction was not in this favour.

Tanwar and two-time former Chief Minister Hooda had been engaged in a tug-of-war since 2014 Haryana assembly polls in which the party was reduced to 15 seats, even losing the status of the main opposition party to the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in the state assembly.

Since then, the Hooda faction has been making all out efforts to remove Tanwar from the post of HPCC president.

Notably, the December 16 municipal elections in Haryana is seen as a litmus test for the political parties to gauge the voters’ mood ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls scheduled to be held next year in Haryana.

As many as 1401157 voters including 746126 males, 655021 females and 10 transgender would exercise their franchise in these elections.

Reacting to Congress’ announcement to not contest on its symbol, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal on Thursday said that Congress has apparently run away from the electoral contest. Both Congress and INLD are suffering due to internal fighting, he added.

Mocking the Congress for not fielding candidates for the mayoral elections, the Leader of the Opposition and INLD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala said that the Congress is aware that by contesting elections on party symbol, they will expose their weakness in the state.

They (Congress) are scared and hence, withdrew from contesting on party symbol, he added.

According to the political observers, “The civic polls will set the tone for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. These polls are seen as a prestige issue for the ruling BJP, which is facing public anger over deteriorating law and order situation among other issues.”