After tasting defeat in five states in the assembly polls recently, the ruling BJP in Haryana is leaving no stone unturned to emerge victorious in the municipal polls on December 16 in the state.
The polls to five municipal corporations and two municipal committees 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.
With the ruling BJP contesting on its party symbol in the municipal polls, the Chief Minister Manohar Lal and his cabinet colleagues have held an extensive campaigning highlighting their four years achievements in the state.
The election 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).
The voters would directly elect the mayor for the first time in the state.
The BJP is contesting on its symbol for the posts of both mayor and councilors while the INLD-BSP has fielded its candidates for the post of mayor. The Congress is backing a few candidates in the polls.
With just one day left to the polling day, the Chief Minister Manohar Lal held campaigning in Hisar on Friday while his cabinet colleagues campaigned for the party candidates in Karnal, Panipat, Yamunangar and Rohtak.
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari also held campaigning for the party candidates in Yamunangar and Panipat.
Karnal being Chief Minister’s constituency saw immense campaigning in the past one week. The saffron party is witnessing a tough contest in Karnal against a united opposition. While the BJP has fielded Renu Bala Gupta as a mayoral candidate, both INLD and Congress have announced support for independent candidate Asha Wadhwa from Karnal.
Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had announced to support Asha Wadhwa to ensure BJP’s defeat in the elections.
With his prestige at stake in his constituency, the Chief Minister has held a series of public meetings in Karnal besides holding meetings with the party workers to issue directions regarding election campaign.
The municipal election in Rohtak, the home-turf of two-time former CM Hooda also holds political significance with BJP and Congress vying to win the mayoral seat from here.
Hooda and his son Deepender Hooda, who is MP from Rohtak are backing independent Sitaram Sachdeva while the BJP has fielded Manmohan Goyal. INLD has fielded Sanchit Nandal, son of INLD district unit president Satish Nandal while the CPM has fielded women’s rights activist Jagmati Sangwan, who is known to take on Khaps on social issues.
After his confidant BB Batra had lost to BJP’s Manish Grover from the Rohtak assembly constituency in the year 2014, the MC polls is seen as a prestige issue for Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
In Hisar, BJP’s candidate Gautam Sarndana is facing a tough fight from Congress backed candidate Rekha Aren. The INLD-BSP alliance’s mayoral candidate is Amit Saini.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal while talking to the mediapersons on Friday claimed that the party will win in all five MCs.
The BJP has provided good governance and a corruption free system to the citizens of Haryana. We are confident of our victory, he said.
Overall, a total of 59 candidates including 40 male candidates and 19 female candidates are in fray for Mayor and total 592 candidates including 320 males candidates and 272 females candidates are in fray for members of all the wards of municipal corporations.
As many as 1401157 voters would exercise their franchise in these elections.
For the first time in the country, NOTA (none of the above) will be treated as a ‘fictional electoral candidate’ while declaring the results of municipal polls. In case, all the contesting candidates individually receive lesser vote than NOTA, then none of the contesting candidate will be declared as elected and fresh election shall be held.