If the recent polls in the city are any indication, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) seems to be getting an edge over the Congress in Chandigarh.
Continuing its winning streak and surging ahead of Congress, the Chandigarh BJP came up trumps, bagging two posts in Mayoral elections in the civic body after 12 years. The city BJP managed to wrest two seats including that of senior deputy Mayor and deputy Mayor from Congress in the Mayoral polls held on January 1 leaving just one seat of Mayor for the Congress, which has faced the defeat in these polls after over a decade.
Congress candidate HC Kalyan was elected as Mayor, BJP’s candidate Heera Negi as senior deputy Mayor and BJP’s Davesh Moudgil was elected as deputy Mayor. While Congress is left red-faced, the outcome has given a major boost to the Opposition BJP which had been facing defeats in the Mayoral elections since past several years.
The nominated councillors played a key role in BJP’s win. At present, there are 11 councillors of Congress, 12 of BJP-SAD, two of BSP and one independent in the 36-member Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Besides, there are nine nominated councillors who have voting rights. And, local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal of Congress too have voting rights. The BJP has been riding high on the success wave after registering good numbers in the 2011 civic body polls, recently held Panchayat polls and Mayoral polls.
The Congress, on the other side, has faced major setbacks since 2011 civic body polls. Be it, the civic body elections or Panchayat Polls, the BJP has made the Congress candidates bite the dust. Notably, Congress’ five heavyweights had faced humiliating defeat in 2011 civic body elections. In the civic elections held in the year 2011, the BJP-SAD combine had turned the tables by winning 12 seats while Congress had won 11 seats out of 26 wards in the city.
Earlier in recently held Panchayat polls also, the BJP had managed to make inroads in the stronghold of the Congress. The city BJP was much contented winning five seats which is better than its previous tally of three. On the other hand, Congress staked claims on seven seats while earlier its candidates had won on nine seats. Congress President BB Behl while talking to The Pioneer said, “The nine nominated councillors had some prior commitments, that’s why they voted in favor of the BJP in Mayoral elections. But, the Congress still managed to win the top post of Chandigarh Mayor in the polls.”
He said, “The party is not affected with such results and is confident to win the upcoming lok Sabha elections. It was only MCC councillors who had voted in Mayoral polls, but in lok Sabha elections, the city voters will come out in large numbers to vote in favor of Congress.” After its success in the polls, the Chandigarh BJP is already gearing for the lok Sabha elections and is also confident to wrest Chandigarh Parliamentary seat from Congress this time.
“The party would win the lok Sabha polls this year. The rural as well as urban voters of Chandigarh are in favor of the BJP. The councillors also voted for the BJP as the party is committed towards development,” said a senior BJP leader. “The party has performed well in 2011 civic body polls, panchayat polls, Mayoral polls and will register a sweeping victory in lok Sabha polls scheduled this year, said he while adding that the party has already started its campaign in the city and getting a good response from the residents.
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. During 2009 lok Sabha elections, Congress candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal had retained Chandigarh’s seat recording a hat-trick on the seat and defeating archrival Satya Pal Jain of BJP and Harmohan Dhawan, who had fought elections on BSP ticket then.
The Congress’ local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal had won Chandigarh seat in 1991, 1999 and 2004 and 2009