8 lakh voters to decide four-cornered battle in Anandpur Sahib, Patiala
No party has won the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency twice in a row in the last six elections; a total of 28 candidates are in the fray in Anandpur Sahib and 26 candidates are vying for the Patiala seat
A total of 8,12,593 electors in Mohali district will seal the fate of candidates vying for the Anandpur Sahib and Patiala Lok Sabha parliamentary seats on Saturday.
The district is divided into two parliamentary constituencies of Patiala, comprising Dera Bassi and Zirakpur, and Anandpur Sahib, including Mohali town and Kharar.
Both seats are witnessing four-cornered contests between the AAP, the Congress, the BJP and the SAD.
While a total of 5,14,798 voters, including 2,81,225 in Kharar and 2,33,573 in Mohali will determine the Anandpur Sahib MP; a total of 2,97,795 voters in Dera Bassi will choose the Patiala MP.
No party has won the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency twice in a row in the last six elections.
A total of 28 candidates are in the fray in Anandpur Sahib and 26 candidates are vying for the Patiala seat.
The Congress is relying on former Sangrur MP and state cabinet minister Vijay Inder Singla for the Anandpur Sahib seat and has fielded former AAP MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi from Patiala.
The SAD has picked former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra from Anandpur Sahib and former Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma from Patiala.
The AAP is relying on its state chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang for Anandpur Sahib and banking on state health minister Balbir Singh in Patiala.
The BJP has put faith in four-time Patiala Congress MP and former Union minister Preneet Kaur for the Patiala contest after she switched sides in March. The saffron party was the last to announce the ticket to Subhash Sharma for the Anandpur Sahib seat.
While the BJP candidates are counting on Prime Minister Modi’s popularity and the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, AAP candidates are primarily leaning on promises of free electricity and the creation of 42,000 jobs in Punjab. Meanwhile, both SAD and Congress are banking on anti-incumbency sentiments against the state and central governments.
Mohali SSP Sandeep Garg said a total of 4,000 security personnel will ensure fair and transparent elections.
He said all SPs and DSPs, besides SHOs and chowki in-charges will remain in the field, adding that around 60 police nakas had been installed in the district and interstate borders.
The district has 89 vulnerable booths at 33 locations that will be manned by paramilitary personnel. Apart from that, CCTV cameras and micro observers will also keep a close watch on these booths.
Mohali deputy commissioner Aashika Jain said polling will be held from 7 am till 6 pm at 825 booths.
All booths had been equipped with a webcasting facility to check real-time polling at a centralised control room. To save the voters and polling staff from scorching heat, ORS packets and other required medicines have been arranged, besides deputing specially trained ASHA and Anganwadi workers. All booths had been mapped with nearby government hospitals to rush heat-affected patients in need, she added.