The election to the 13-member Bhikhiwind nagar panchayat is witnessing a keen contest, with 53 candidates in the fray.
From Ward 2, the AAP candidate has been elected unopposed. In the remaining 11 wards, multi-cornered contests are on the cards, with four- or five-way fights in most seats. Major political parties, including the ruling AAP, Congress, SAD and BJP, are all in the fray.
Sarwan Singh Dhunn, AAP MLA from Khemkaran, has taken charge of the party’s campaign in the area, while former MLA Sukhpal Singh Bhullar has been overseeing Congress candidates. For the SAD, former MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha has been actively monitoring the party’s prospects.
Ward 11 is witnessing one of the most keenly watched contests. Candidates include Deepu Bahmba (AAP), Raghu Sharma (BJP), Mehta Vikram (SAD), Neeraj Dhawan (Congress), and Bhag Singh (Independent).
Singh, a former senior AAP leader, is contesting as an Independent after being denied a party ticket.
The ticket was instead allotted to Bahmba, who had switched from the Congress to AAP just four days ago.
Political observers note that Singh, an AAP rebel and social worker, is likely to draw sympathy votes.
His supporters had urged him to contest as an Independent after he was denied the party ticket.
The coming days are expected to be closely watched as the campaign intensifies. The area remains underdeveloped, with residents alleging inadequate civic amenities. With a population of around 20,000, Bhikhiwind still lacks proper drinking water facilities, and its sewerage network has remained incomplete for several years. As all eyes in the region are on Bhikhiwind, the fate of 53 candidates will be decided in the days to come.
