Amid clashes, Ludhiana sees 59% turnout

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 24

Violence and complaints of booth-capturing were the highlights of the polling for 95 wards of the local municipal corporation held here today. The city registered 59.14 per cent turnout.

Candidates of the SAD-BJP and AAP accused the ruling party of capturing booths and misusing the government machinery in various wards.

Two persons were reportedly injured in a clash between Akali and Congress workers outside DAV Public School, BRS Nagar, Ward No. 75. It is learnt that firing took place during the clash around 3:55 pm, just five minutes before the polling time ended.

Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu alleged that a SAD candidate's husband, Bhupinder Singh Bhinda, and his aides attacked Congressmen and damaged their two vehicles. He also blamed the SAD workers for firing on Congress supporters. 

Denying the allegations, Akali MLA from Sahnewal Sharanjit Singh Dhillon accused the Congress of attacking Bhinda. "Bhinda is innocent. We will meet the police commissioner," he said.

ACP Gurpreet Singh said the Congressmen had complained about the attack. "We have arrested a man, but there is no confirmation about the firing. The injured, said to be Congress supporters, have been admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital," he said. Candidates of the SAD-BJP, LIP and an Independent accused Congress MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid, whose son is a candidate, of entering into a polling station and threatening the poll staff. Akali candidate Meetpal Singh Dugri blamed the Congress for booth-capturing. Several residents, too, complained that their votes were cast by other persons. 

BJP leaders accused MLA Surinder Dawar and his kin of entering the booths to influence voters and indulging in bogus voting at Ward Nos. 56 and 59. SAD candidate of Ward No. 67 Upinderjit Kaur accused the Congress of casting bogus votes at Malwa Khalsa School, Ludhiana. AAP leaders also levelled similar accusations in Ward Nos. 72 and 15.

SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema accused Bittu and Bhushan of leading mobs into booths to drive out Akali polling agents and to rig polls.

Lok Insaaf Party chief Simarjit Singh Bains accused the police and the administration of favouring the ruling party. He said: "It is the murder of democracy."

Denying the allegations, Ashu claimed that the Opposition was trying to defame them as "no booth was captured". In fact, Akali workers armed with weapons attacked Congressmen, he alleged.