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Cong sweeps municipal polls in Punjab, SAD-BJP cries foul

CHANDIGARH: Ruling Congress on Sunday swept the three municipal corporations of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala while the opposition SAD-BJP alleged misuse of official machinery.

Cong sweeps municipal polls in Punjab, SAD-BJP cries foul

A polling official marks the finger of a woman with indelible ink at a polling booth in Jalandhar on Sunday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh



Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 17

Ruling Congress on Sunday swept the three municipal corporations of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala while the opposition SAD-BJP alleged misuse of official machinery.

The Congress virtually swept the wards in the three important corporations as results were out by late evening, prompting celebrations in the ruling camp.

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The results come as a boost for the Amarinder Singh led government in the state. The opposition alliance, however, alleged gross poll code violations and demanded countermanding of the Patiala corporation elections.

Polling was also held in 29 municipal councils and nagar panchayats today, amid tight security arrangements.

Among the three municipal corporations, Patiala registered the highest poll percentage of over 62.22 per cent followed by Jalandhar at 57.2 and Amritsar at 51 per cent while the voting percentage in the municipal councils and nagar panchayats ranged between 60-86 per cent.

The Congress has convincingly won Jalandhar, Patiala and Amritsar Municipal Corporations and was ahead in most of the Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Councils.

It bagged 66 out of 80 wards in Jalandhar and won 58 of the total 60 wards in Patiala. In Amritsar Municipal Corporation, Congress clinched 69 out of 85 wards, BJP 6, SAD 6, Independent 4.

The SAD criticised the State Election Commission for allegedly favouring the ruling party. “The commission behaved as if it was scared of the government,” Akali Dal and its alliance partner BJP alleged.

Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi appealed to the Punjab Election Commission to cancel the Patiala MC polls and hold fresh elections under the supervision of some central agency.

In ward no. 42 of Patiala, voters complained that Congress workers allegedly skipped having their fingers inked. There were also complaints of Congress workers threatening voters in ward no. 25.

In Patiala’s ward no. 54, Akali leader Harbaksh Chahal accused administration of playing into hands of Congress. Chahal alleged his supporters were thrown out by police while those of Congress allowed inside the booth without voter cards.

While many voters reported to have voted multiple times, district electoral officer Kumar Amit denied allegations, saying he had received no such complaints.

Voters left the queue at polling station set up at Government College for Women over alleged harassment. There were allegations of Akali supporters being stopped at entry gate by police and Youth Congress leaders.

AAP polling agents were allegedly thrashed in ward no 49 of Patiala.

On SAD leaders’ allegations against the ruling party, Congress leader Preneet Kaur said these claims were unfounded. “SAD leaders should recall when in the 2012 MC polls they beat up our leaders and had forcibly pushed them out of their own wards by 11 am. SAD are poor losers,” she said.

Senior Akali leaders, including Prem Singh Chandumajra, Surjit Singh Rakhra and Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra gheraoed Moti Bagh palace, residence of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

In Ludhiana, hundreds of Akali workers led by former MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali staged a protest outside a polling station at Mullanpur Dakha claiming that Congress supporters had been allowed to go inside polling stations.

Ayali also accused Congress leaders of booth capturing at Mullanpur. He claimed Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu and some the Congress workers illegally entered polling booths.

SAD leaders claimed Congress supporters were allowed to enter polling stations at Sahnewal as well. SAD MLA Sharanjit Singh Dhillon complained to senior officials that Congress supporters did not allow Akali supporters to cast their votes, and said the elections were “unfair”.

The Akali Dal also claimed that there was violence in Mullanpur Dakha, Ghanaur, Sahnewal and Raja Sansi.

In Ghagga, SAD leaders were reportedly slapped inside polling booths and asked to leave. The returning officer was reportedly missing from the scene.

There were also unconfirmed reports of firing in Patiala. While police denied any such occurrence, witnesses claimed two Congress supporters fired at some people near PRTC workshop.

On the recommendation of an engineer, an EVM was replaced in Jalandhar’s ward no 33 due to some technical fault.

Clear vindication of Congress policies: Capt Amarinder  

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh hailed the poll results as a "clear vindication of the Congress policies and a resounding defeat of the opposition's deceitful propaganda."

Former chief minister Parkash Badal described the entire process of civic poll as "utterly uncivilised" and a huge blow to democracy in Punjab.

"This day will be remembered as a black Sunday for democracy in Punjab," Badal said in a statement here.

The AAP also alleged misuse of government machinery by the ruling Congress.

Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar thanked the people and party workers for ensuring smooth and impressive turnout in the polls, "despite the efforts by the Akalis to scuttle the poll process through threats, violence and rumour mongering in some areas." He said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had lost its ground completely in Punjab, as in the rest of the country.  — With agencies 

Results

MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS

Sr.No.

Name of District

Name of Municipal

Corporation

No. of Wards

Cong

SAD

BJP

AAP

Ind/Others

1.

Amritsar

Amritsar

85

64

07

06

--

08

2.

Jalandhar

Jalandhar

80

66

04

08

--

02

3.

Patiala

Patiala

60

59

---

---

---

----

   

   Total:                        

225

189

11

14

---

10

MUNICIPAL COUNCILS/ NAGAR PANCHAYATS

Sr.No.

Name of District

Name of Municipal

Council/

Nagar

Panchayat

No. of Wards

Cong

SAD

BJP

  AAP

Ind/Others

1.

Amritsar

Rajasansi

13

07

03

03

          --

---

2.

Barnala

Handiaya

13

07

03

03

---

---

3.

Fatehgarh Sahib

Amloh

13

09

02

02

---

---

4.

Ferozepur

1) Mallan

Wala Khas

2) Makhu

13

13

13

13

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

5.

Jalandhar

1) Bhogpur

2) Shahkot

3) Goraya 

 4) Bilga

13

13

13

13

---

12

10

04

---

--

01

03

--

---

01

---

---

---

---

---

13

01

01

06

6.

Kapurthala

1) Dhillwan

2) Begowal

3) Bholath

11

13

13

07

04

05

---

08

04

---

---

---

---

---

01

04

01

03

7.

Ludhiana

1) Machhiwara

2)Mullanpur Dakha

3) Maloud

4) Sahnewal

15

13

11

15

12

13

08

12

01

--

01

02

01

--

01

01

---

---

---

--

01

--

01

---

8.

Moga

1) Bagha Purana

2) Dharamkot

3)Fatehgarh Panjtoor

15

13

11

15

11

10

---

01

01

----

---

---

---

---

---

---

01

---

9.

Muktsar

Bariwala

11

09

01

--

---

01

10.

Patiala

1) Ghagga

2) Ghanaur

13

11

08

10

01

---

02

01

           ---

          ---

02

---

11.

Pathankot

Narot Jaimal Singh

11

11

---

---

---

---

12.

Sangrur

1) Dirba

2) Cheema

3) Khanauri

4) Moonak

13

13

13

13

11

01

06

--

---

--

01

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

02

12

06

13

13.

Tarn Taran

Khemkaran

13

12

---

---

         ---

01

14.

Mansa

Bhikhi

13

06

---

---

---

07

15.

S.B.S.Nagar

Balachaur

15

---

---

---

---

15

16.

Bathinda

Talwandi Sabo

15

13

01

---

          ---

01

17.

Hoshiarpur

Mahilpur.

13

08

03

---

---

02

   

       Total:

414

267

37

15

01

94


 

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