Campaigning for Chandigarh MC polls ends, over to voters now

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 21

Roadshows, rallies and public meetings organised by candidates marked the last day of campaigning for the December 24 Municipal Corporation elections.

According to the State Election Commission, UT, the silence period for the elections to the MC will begin 72 hours prior to close of poll. No posters, pamphlets and advertisements will be published in newspapers or displayed in a matter of canvassing from 5 pm on December 21. Action will be taken against the violators.

Senior leaders of the BJP, Congress and AAP held press conferences and rallies in different parts of the city. The candidates contesting from the 35 wards remained on their toes and reached out to as many people as possible on the last day of the campaigning.

Former Chandigarh BJP president Sanjay Tandon and senior party leader Avinash Rai Khanna addressed a public rally for party candidate from ward number 12 Saurabh Joshi at Patel Market, Sector 15. Manoj Kumar Sonkar, BJP candidate from ward number 7, met residents of Mauli Jagran, Charan Singh Colony and Vikas Nagar and assured them regarding development of the ward. Congress coordinator for the MC poll Rajinder Rana held six public rallies during the day.

Congress star campaigner Kanhaiya Kumar also held rallies today. AAP held a nukkad natak in ward number 3 at Bapu Dham Colony.

Some also took out vehicle rallies. JJ Singh, AAP candidate from ward number 35, held a roadshow in his area and addressed a public meeting at Progressive Enclave Society, Sector 50. BJP candidate Anup Gupta from ward number 11 held a car rally. He also met a group of senior citizens and held an awareness walk. Many preferred foot march. Congress candidate Harpreet Kaur Babla from ward number 10 held a padyatra in the entire ward with her husband, councillor Devinder Singh Babla.

Congress candidate from ward number 2 Harmohinder Singh Lucky took out a foot march in Sector 7, 8, 9 and 10, and appealed for votes. Lucky said “false promises” of the BJP had been exposed and the public now wanted a change. His rival, BJP’s Maheshinder Singh Sidhu, continued with his door-to-door campaigning. He alleged that the Congress had only given corruption to the city, while the BJP’s focus was on development.

Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja addressed a party election rally in Sector 25. She said it was the Congress which had bestowed ownership rights on thousands of people living in slum areas.

Voter awareness campaign

The Election Commission will intensify its voter awareness campaign from Wednesday by putting up hoardings and jingles on radio. It had earlier tied up with golfer Jeev Milkha Singh and cricketer Anjum Chopra for the campaign. This time, voting is on Friday, so many fear the voting percentage may fall as the day follows holidays and many people may go out.

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