Though civic body polls are being viewed as a semi-final ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, senior political leaders have stayed away from campaigning in Bathinda, considered as a political capital of south Malwa.
Apart from BJP leader and Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, no other senior leader campaigned for candidates in Bathinda.
Further, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal did not visit the for canvassing. A senior SAD leader claimed that Sukhbir and Harsimrat had divided their political responsibilities and there was nothing unusual about her absence, claiming that she otherwise mostly remains in Bathinda.
In the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) camp, local MLA Jagroop Singh Gill also remained away from electioneering. Gill had even criticised party leader and Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) chairman Amarjit Singh Mehta over the alleged “one-man control” in distribution of party tickets. Amarjit’s son, Padamjeet Singh Mehta, a former mayor, has been elected unopposed this time.
Notably, no cabinet minister campaigned for AAP candidates in the city. Surprisingly, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan also did not campaign for his mother-in-law Harbans Kaur, who is contesting from Ward No. 5.
In the Congress camp, district head Rajan Garg largely led the party’s campaign. However, Pradesh Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring never campaigned.
In the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) camp, no senior leader campaigned in Bathinda.
