Akali-BJP alliance sinks in Amritsar, veteran voted out

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 17

The Congress easily wrested control of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation from the SAD-BJP alliance, winning 64 of the 85 wards. In the 2012 poll, it had bagged just four seats.

The SAD and the BJP ended up with only seven and six seats, respectively, even less than the Independents (eight). Last time, the allies had won 24 seats each.

Senior BJP leader and former Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora, who had never lost an election since 1997, lost to Congress’ rookie candidate Sameer Dutta from Ward No. 10. The Aam Aadmi Party drew a blank.

During 2002-07, when the Congress ruled the state, it also controlled the MC House. The SAD-BJP alliance was in charge here during its 10-year rule.

Those in the race for the Mayor’s post include Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mamta Dutta. She won from Ward No. 11 by over 2,200 votes. Dutta had won as an Independent in 2002 and on the Congress ticket in 2007, but had lost in 2012. Her nomination as the women’s wing chief was supported by Capt Amarinder Singh. She is the sister-in-law of party MLA Sunil Dutti.

Other contenders are Congress leader Karamjit Singh Rintu, who won from Ward No. 12, and former Leader of the Opposition in the House, Raj Kanwar Preet Pal Singh ‘Lucky’ (Ward number 16).

Except for a few scuffles, polling remained peaceful. Former BJP councillor Prabhjit Rataul, a close aide of ex-minister Anil Joshi, was detained for carrying his licensed weapon during voting.

Former deputy Mayor Avtar Singh Truckanwala, who contested unsuccessfully as an Independent, alleged that his opponent, Shailender Singh Shelly, attempted to influence voters at polling booths with the assistance of Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s gunmen. However, Sidhu denied the allegations.

The police booked Mangal Singh alias Manga and Ajay Kumar alias Moti of Baba Deep Singh Colony under Section 171(E) of the IPC for allegedly distributing cash and liquor to woo voters in Chheharta.

AAP draws blank

• The SAD and the BJP ended up with only seven and six seats, respectively, even less than the Independents (eight). Last time, the allies had won 24 seats each
• Senior BJP leader and former Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora, who had never lost an election since 1997, lost to Congress' rookie candidate Sameer Dutta
• The Aam Aadmi Party drew a blank
• Those in the race for the Mayor's post include Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mamta Dutta, Karamjit Singh Rintu and Raj Kanwar Preet Pal Singh 'Lucky'