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Multi-cornered contest in offing as Ambala zila parishad goes to polls
As per figures, there are 122 candidates in fray from 15 wards as the zila parishad and panchayat samiti go to polls
After weeks of campaigning blitzkrieg comprising roadshows, door-to-door meetings and social media outreach will culminate as the zila parishad and panchayat samiti go to polls on Wednesday between 7 am to 6 pm.
As per figures, there are 122 candidates in fray from 15 wards.
The ruling alliance in the state is contesting separately, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielding its candidates in all wards. The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), meanwhile, has challenged others in 12 wards sans its party symbol.
Also in the fray, former minister Venod Sharma’s Haryana Jan Chetna Party (HJCP) has extended support to five candidates. Sharma’s son and media baron Kartikeya (Kartik) Sharma had recently been elected to the Rajya Sabha as an independent with support from the BJP and others.
Following a decent showing in the municipal elections in the state, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also testing the waters by fielding candidates on all the seats for the first time. Parties like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) have also fielded candidates in eight and five wards respectively.
Congress, notably, has been a no-show, but candidates with party background are in the fray.
BJP has fielded Suman Saini, wife of the member of Parliament (MP) from Kurukshetra Nayab Singh Saini, ward number 4 — which is reserved for women.
A tough contest lies ahead in ward 9 where BJP’s district vice-president Mandeep Rana is pitted against party turncoat Makhan Singh Lobana — now an AAP heavyweight. Progressive farmer and INLD candidate Master Dimple is also well within the fight for the ward.
Days ahead of the polling, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) had vowed to vote against the BJP-JJP candidates, while the union’s district president Malkeet Singh said they will vote for the candidates who supported the farm agitation against the now-scrapped farm laws.
Deputy commissioner Dr Priyanka Soni said 52 duty magistrates or supervisors have been deputed for the polling.
“There are 400 gram panchayats in Ambala, where 4,63,302 voters including 2,46,884 males, 2,16,408 females and 10 third gender voters are eligible to cast their vote. As many as 397 polling booths have been created for the day, out of which 18 are highly sensitive and 25 are sensitive,” the DC said in a statement.
