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Panchkula MC elections on December 27
The last MC polls were held in 2013 when Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia became the first mayor of Panchkula
By the beginning of 2021, Panchkula will have its own mayor after a three-year gap, as the elections of the municipal corporation (MC) are set to take place on December 27. The date was announced on Thursday by the state election commission.
The results will be announced on December 30. The last MC polls were held in 2013 when Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia became the first mayor of Panchkula.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) will fight together, whereas Congress has announced to fight the elections on symbol.
Apart from these, the members of resident welfare associations, who have been “disappointed” with the political leaders, have decided to contest for the post of councillor at least from five of the 20 wards.
Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta said: “The BJP and JJP as an alliance will fight these elections together from all the 20 wards. The candidate name from each ward will be finalised by December 10.”
The nominations have to be filed between December 11 and 16, and that’s why most of the parties will have finalised the names by then.
BJP holds meeting
The BJP held a meeting with its workers on Thursday, which was attended by Captain Abhimanyu as well, who has been made the in-charge for Panchkula MC polls.
“Ten senior leaders of BJP have been assigned the task to go to 20 wards and hold meetings. They will get feedback from each ward and if a person is interested to contest elections, they can give names,” said Ajay Sharma, BJP district president.
Jalmegha Dahiya, member of the selection committee of Congress, said that a meeting will be held in a day or two when the names of the candidates will be finalised. “We have received many requests and will contest from all wards,” she said.
Kumari Shelja announced that the party will fight on symbol and the decision was taken after a meeting with senior members of Congress.
Five members of resident welfare associations of Panchkula have also come forward to fight the elections. “We are tired of these leaders and their political games. In the last seven to eight years, Panchkula has gone 40 years back. There has hardly been any development. When the mayor was there, there used to be infighting. And for the last two years, there is no mayor,” said SK Nayar, president, Citizen Welfare Association.
Corporation formed in 2010
The Panchkula MC was formed in March 2010 by merging the then municipal council with municipal committees of Kalka and Pinjore along with 42 villages. Though the move was opposed in court, the first mayor, Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia, was elected in June 2013 after a Supreme Court decision.
However, in January 2018, the matter of bifurcation of the corporation reached the Punjab and Haryana high court. “As the matter was sub-judice, the elections were delayed. It was in July that the matter was sorted,” said Ajay Sharma.
