Regional leaders of political parties are testing waters for the Assembly elections, due in 2027, through their campaigns for the civic body polls.
The polling for civic body elections is scheduled for Tuesday.
A total of 430 candidates from various parties and 43 Independents are contesting elections for 112 wards of six municipal councils in Ludhiana. At least four of the candidates have already been declared winners as their candidatures are unopposed. They include Harish Gupta in Khanna; and Amrit Puri, Sikandar Singh and Inderjit Singh in Samrala.
According to online records, Aam Aadmi Party has fielded candidates in all 112 wards. They consist of Doraha (15), Jagraon (23), Khanna (33), Payal (11), Raikot (15) and Samrala (15).
Contrastingly, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is contesting only in seven wards.
The Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have named candidates from 104 and 84 wards, respectively. A total of 80 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates are in the fray.
Among others, a total of 43 nominations were accepted as Independents.
Though no formal complaints were filed regarding major irregularities during filing of nominations, Independent candidates and those from Opposition parties cautioned their polling and counting agents on tendency of cancellation of votes due to restoration of ballot papers after a long time.
Candidates and their supporters are leaving no stone unturned to educate voters regarding polling through ballot papers.
District Congress President and former Payal MLA Lakhvir Singh Lakha alleged nomination papers of some Opposition candidates in Samrala were rejected on “flimsy grounds”. He said the motive behind it was unopposed election of AAP candidates.
Apprehending cancellation of ballot papers on “lame excuses”, Lakha said, “We have advised our probable polling and counting agents to be cautious while inside polling booths and counting centres.”
Brief window for canvassing
The brief window between announcement of elections and polling date has seemingly benefitted veterans across political allegiances. First time contestants got little time for understanding needs of their wards and expectations of residents.
However, former councillors had to face ire of residents for “failures” to resolve issues pertaining to overflowing sewage, poor solid waste management and potholed-roads.
Star campaigners
Union minister Ravneet Bittu is expected to boost election campaign of BJP candidates at various places in this region on Sunday.
Fatehgarh MP Amar Singh Boparai has also been marking his presence felt for Congress candidates.
Cabinet ministers Tarunpreet Sond and Hardeep Singh Mundian, along with Manwinder Singh Giaspura, Hakam Singh Thekedar, Jiwan Singh Sangowal, Sarvjit Kaur Manuke and Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra, were active for AAP candidates and Independents backed by the ruling party.
