No party seems stand united for MC polls in Raikot
With the split in the SAD-BJP and the Congress not contesting on any seat, no party seems stand united for the municipal council elections in Raikot.
With the split in the SAD-BJP and the Congress not contesting on any seat, no party seems stand united for the municipal council elections in Raikot.
The major party Congress is not contesting even on single seat on its symbol and has tied up with the other parties, including CPIM and BSP, to fight on 'Common front' with Independent candidates.
On the other hand, the ruling SAD-BJP coalition is facing groupism within.
It is pertinent to mention that this major council in Ludhiana district had witnessed fight for the post of council president in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) members in the last term. Sources claimed that because of the split in the BJP and SAD coalition, council meetings for the developmental work of the residents got affected.
The council has 15 wards and the SAD-BJP divided the wards in the ratio of 10:5, respectively.
The SAD has further divided into two groups, Talwandi group and Khalsa group, thus 10 seats of SAD were further divided into these two groups to please everyone.
Meanwhile, two members of the SAD have rebelled for not getting the desired seats and filed nomination as Independent candidates.
Harpal Singh, who filed nomination from ward number 11, split from the SAD in the last minute, leaving the SAD-BJP with no candidate in this ward. Because of the last minute step out of Harpal Singh, the SAD-BJP is now contesting on only 14 seats on its symbol.
Raikot Halka icharge from SAD-BJP Bikramjit Singh Khalsa said, “Groupism within the party will not affect the elections or afterwards, because this time party is contesting the elections on its symbol. Last time, the elections were not contested on the party symbol, thus few disparities occurred.”
He added, “As the SAD supporters were divided in two groups, we managed to give equal seats to both groups to avoid any sort of confrontation.”
Member of legislative assembly (MLA) and halka incharge from Congress Gurcharan Singh Boparai said, “We have made a common front with the other parties and thus are not contesting on our party symbol. The last SAD-BJP council has kept on fighting and thus did not pay any heed to development of Raikot, but now this common front is dedicated for full developmental works.”