Chandigarh MC polls: bickering over tickets dogs Congress, BJP

Ticket distribution for the municipal corporation polls on December 18 was always likely to be a controversial affair for both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Even as infighting and revolt has been reported, another dimension was added to the issue on Saturday. Congress candidate from ward 22 (Sectors 31, 47 and 48) Sandeep Bhardwaj claimed that his ticket had been cancelled and the party planned to give it to Davinder Gupta.

Bhardwaj, 51, who is also party general secretary, claimed, “My name has been deleted from the ticket list as I am a Brahmin and not from the Aggarwal community. This is unacceptable. I will take up the matter with the party high command.”

He added, “Is this my reward for being loyal to the party? Former MP Pawan Bansal and local unit Congress chief Pardeep Chhabra had asked me to start campaigning. Now, my ticket has been cancelled.”

In another setback for the Congress, Suraj Mukhi Sharma, brother of Congress leader Chander Mukhi Sharma, announced his candidature for the MC elections as an Independent from ward 1 comprising Sectors 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. Chander Mukhi Sharma, considered to be close to former Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari had also sought ticket from ward 1, but was ignored.

BJP announces candidate from ward 3, sees rebellion

Meanwhile, even the BJP saw rebellion in ward 3 (Sectors 16, 17, 22), where Chandigarh State President Sanjay Tandon announced the name of Ravi Kant Sharma, as contestant, on Saturday.

Protesting against the decision, a member of the Co-ordination Committee of Councillors, Arun Kumar Goyal (Goga), said, “I have been associated with the party for 40 years. I had contested the previous MC election from ward 3 and lost to Congress chief Pardeep Chhabra. The party will lose.”

Meanwhile, the BJP inaugurated the party’s election office for ward 14 (Burail village and Sector 45) and also held a candle march at the Sector 19-C main market to pay homage to the victims of 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.