By Naresh Kumar Sharma
CHANDIGARH:The polling to four Municipal Corporations (MCs) of Punjab-Amritsar, Patiala,Ludhiana and Jalandhar was concluded on Sunday amidst reperots of rigging and stray incidents of violence.Initially, the voting began on dull note however it it picked up pace towards afternoon.The voters including women and youth were found standing in queue patiently to cast their votes.
The four municipal corporations comprising total of 250 wards- Amritsar (65), Jalandhar (60), Patiala (50) and Ludhiana (75) went to polls.
The claims of SAD-BJP combine government led by Parkash Singh Badal that adequate security arrangements had been made for MC elections seemed to be just hollow rhetoric with reports of booth capturing received from Patiala and one person was killed and three others critically injured in Ludhiana. Besides this, Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu was injured after a clash between Congress and SAD -BJP supporters in Model Gram. on Sunday. Reports of rigging and tampering with EVMs were also received from Jalandhar and Amritsar.
The state election commission ironically expressed its ignorance about the violence including one person killed in related incidents. Election Commissioner Shivinder Singh Brar when contacted said that he was not aware what has happened.
Congress alleged that thet ruling SAD-BJP alliance supporters delibrately resorting to booth-capturing and indulged in violence to rig the elections.
Meanwhile, the elections to four Municiapal Corporations of Punjab-Amritsar,Patiala,Ludhiana and Jalandhar would be the first real test of the SAD-BJP ruling combine government led by Parkash Singh Badal. Though Badal government is still in infancy completing just three months after being voted to power for second time in succession nevertheless the elections would be indicator of the popularity of SAD-BJP combine in the urban areas.
Though there had been some differences bewtween SAD and BJP with the latter being upset over the manner in which SAD has tried to assert itself in the civic polls.The major bone of contention has been that SAD has fielded Hindu candidates and did not give the needed credence to the BJP being the major partner in urban areas. The Akalis are desperate to shed the tag of party being rural-specific but with SAD going back to its Panthic agenda it would be interesting to see will it have impact on MC polls.
The BJP is feeling confident it could repeat its assembly election performance in at least two of the Municipal Corporations (MCs) of Jalandhar and Amritsar.
Congress is expected to do well in Patiala but rebellion and deep dissension within the rank and file of party could affect its chances in Patiala also. Congress which grappled with problem of rebellion in assembly elections has been confronted with same in MC polls.
Besides this Congress which is still smarting from defeat in the assembly elections again made the same mistake by over-relying on Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh. Amarinder did his best what he can but lack of support from other major leaders in campaign may well harm party’s chances to significant extent.
