Day before the results of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, the Congress party on Sunday swept the civic body polls in Punjab securing victory in all the three municipal corporations and 29 municipal councils and nagar panchayats that went for polls on Sunday amidst tight security.
Virtually routing the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) combine from the power throne and the nascent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from the State’s grass root, the ruling Congress has scored a hat-trick with the win following its victory in Assembly polls and Gurdaspur byelection.
Congress’ victory in three municipal corporations of Amritsar, Patiala and Jalandhar besides 29 municipal councils and nagar panchayats came amidst allegations of poll rigging, booth capturing, voter intimidation, misusing official machinery besides partial attitude of the State poll panel.
A total of three corporations and 32 municipal councils and nagar panchayats went for polling on Sunday. As the Congress wins Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar Municipal Corporations, it secured 29 out of 32 municipal councils or nagar panchayats with the SAD winning one and independent candidates winning the remaining two.
Congress has won 69 out of 85 seats in Amritsar MC polls, with the SAD-BJP combine securing 12 while the remaining four went to the independents. The Congress also won 66 seats in 80-member Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, and the SAD-BJP combine won a total of eight with four each.
Till the time of filing the report, Congress has won 58 out of the declared seats in Patiala Municipal Corporation, which has total 60 seats.
Passing its first litmus at the grass root level after coming to power in March this year, the win has further strengthened the Congress party in the state besides giving an added boost to the party cadre.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh described it as “a clear vindication of the Congress policies and a resounding defeat of the opposition’s deceitful propaganda”.
SAD-BJP alliance, which lost the assembly elections finishing at the poor third spot after ruling the state for a decade, it seems has lost its ground. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a first timer in the local bodies’ polls, failed to make a mark despite being the main opposition party in the state.
A total of 925 candidates were in fray. As many as 873 polling stations were setup in the state, having 1,938 polling booths. A total of 8,000 election staff and 15,500 police personnel were on poll duty.
The civic polls in the state were held nine months after the assembly elections in the state, in which the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government wrested the power in the state from SAD-BJP combine.
Notably, this was the first time the voters had the option of ‘none of the above’ in civic bodies polls.
Before the polls, Congress got an unopposed victory in three municipal councils — Khem Karan, Baghapurana and Mallanwala.
SAD-BJP combine, about 10 days ago, had staged a protest blocking number of main highways across the state alleging Congress highhandedness. SAD president Sukhbir Badal led the dharna blocking the highway near Harike for two days and one night, after which the State Government had registered criminal cases against him and other leaders of his party.
VIOlENCE, PROTEST MARS PATIAlA MC POll
Starting on a peaceful note, Patiala Municipal Corporations’ elections were marred by violence, protests by the SAD and the Aam Aadmi Party.
Patiala, the home town of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, witnessed a direct scuffle between the workers and leaders of the both the Congress and the SAD. A group of SAD workers also allegedly fired gunshots in the air outside a booth.
The police had to call in reinforcements in ward number 8 after the Akali supporters raised objections against the manner in which the election process was being conducted.
Opposition parties, in ward number 14, force the nearby shopkeepers to pull down shutters and held dharna alleging that the Congress government in the state was using the police to terrorize their supporters and win the elections.
Irate, the Akali Dal announced boycott of Patiala MC elections alleging that the Congress workers have completely captured the booths and are illegally casting votes.
SAD workers, led by its MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and former state cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, staged dharnas before finally announcing party’s decision to boycott the polls.
“I would raise the issue in the Parliament on Monday for which I have sought an adjournment motion,” said Chandumajra.
He said that there was no point in contesting the polls in which the police and civil administration are supporting the Congress workers to capture booths.
A delegation of SAD-BJP leaders also staged a dharna outside the office of the State’s Election Commissioner at Chandigarh, demanding countermanding of polls in Patiala.
AAP ‘suspended’ MP from Patiala Dr Dharamvira Gandhi too sought a re-election. Gandhi appealed to the Punjab State Election Commission to cancel the Patiala MC polls and hold fresh elections under the supervision of some central agency.
Some of AAP supporters were rounded up by the police after they tried to block the ROB near the local bus stand in protest against the violence.