Six in fray for mayor’s post in Panchkula

Also 83 will contest for the posts of councillors from 20 wards of the Panchkula municipal corporation, which goes to the polls on December 27

Six candidates are in the fray for the mayor’s seat while 83 will contest from 20 wards of the Panchkula municipal corporation House, which goes to the polls on December 27.

As many as 35 people took their names back while 17 nominations were cancelled, as the final list was announced on Friday.

Those who are contesting for the mayor’s seat are Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia of the Congress, Kulbhushan Goyal of the BJP, Anil Pangotra of the BSP, Sudarshan Bansal of Janral Samaj Party (registered unrecognised) and Independents Padam Garg and Shyam Singh Negi.

Returning officer Mohammad Imran Raza said four people who had filed nominations for the mayor’s post – Anju Goyal, Dhawal Partap Ahluwalia, Krishan Aggarwal and Pushpender Rana – had taken back their names besides 31 who filed papers for councillor seats.

Also, during examination, 17 names were cancelled: Amrik Singh, Ratanchand, Ruchi, Vijay, Ravinder Kumar Rawal, Seema, Sunny Kumar, Kanta Devi, Diksha, Neelam Malik, Mamta Swami, Sushila Shukla, Sukhjeet Kaur, Avinash Malik, Jitender Parsaad, Ajaypal Singh and Harpreet Kaur.

Ahluwalia holds 14 public meetings

Intensifying her poll campaign, former mayor Upinder Ahluwalia held 14 public meetings in Ward No. 20 on Friday. The meetings at Kot, Bader, Dabkori, Toka, Khangeshra, Alipur Town, Naggel Khurd, Jalauli, Khatola, Khatoli, Mattawala and Ashiana block in Sector 26 witnessed huge gatherings.

Chander Mohan, former Haryana deputy CM; Pardeep Chaudary, sitting Congress MLA from Kalka; and Salim Khan, party candidate from Ward No. 20, also accompanied Ahluwalia.

“The villagers and farmers are forced to sit on dharna. Even in this biting cold, they are out in the open for their demands. But this heartless government has no feelings and they are paying no attention to farmers’ pleas,” said Ahluwalia on the ongoing agitation against new agricultural laws.

“The change starts from the grassroots. So, it’s high time for you to bring change and support Congress for all-round development of your area,” she said, while adding her special focus will be on improving basic amenities in villages and bring them on a par with urban areas.