SAD (Dhindsa) opts out of Mohali MC poll fray, to support AAP, independents

Other parties will have to face a tough battle, says Shiromani Akali Dal ( Dhindsa) leader Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu

The splinter Akali group floated by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has opted out of the Mohali municipal corporation (MC) elections scheduled for February next year but announced its support for the Aam Aadmi Party candidates and independents on Sunday.

The Mohali municipal corporation elections are scheduled for February next year. (Sourced)

“We have decided not to contest the elections and will be supporting good candidates from AAP and independents to give a tough fight to other parties,” said Shiromani Akali Dal ( Dhindsa) leader Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu.

The elections, dates of which have not been announced as yet, will be held in 50 wards with an estimated 2.36 lakh voter base.

A four cornered battle will now be fought between the AAP, Shiromani Akali Dal ( Badal), Congress and BJP.

Warning that the polls this time will not be a cakewalk for other parties, AAP president and member of Parliament (MP) Bhagwant Mann said, “We will be contesting elections in all wards on the party symbol. At present, we are supporting the farmers’ agitation and after that our focus will be on the civic body elections in the state.”

The last five-year term of the civic body ended on April 26 this year.

In the 2015 elections, 27 councillors including 10 from the Azad group, 14 from Congress and two independent councillors elected Kulwant Singh (then an independent) as mayor, but later in August 2017, he joined SAD.

Among the voters, around 25,000 belong to the scheduled caste (SC) category. Five seats have been reserved for SC candidates. There are 43 general category seats, of which 23 are reserved for women and 20 for men.