On poll eve, Sanjay Tandon offers prayers, Manish Tewari chats with morning walkers in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, May 31

A day before polling for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, BJP candidate Sanjay Tandon took blessings of Mata Mansa Devi and also paid obeisance at a gurdwara in Sector 21 besides holding meetings, while Congress candidate Manish Tewari interacted with morning walkers at five different places.

In what is expected to be a close contest, the fate of two candidates will be sealed on Saturday. While Tandon is relying on his “local connect” and “brand Modi”, Tewari is confident of sailing through due to “united and strong” alliance of the Congress and AAP.

What parties have promised to city electorate

BJP

• To make Chandigarh “aspirational city”
• Metro project to be expedited
• Pink bus service for women
• Direct train to Ram Temple
• Allowing need-based changes in CHB houses and cooperative housing societies
• Policy on granting ownership rights to colony residents
• Conversion of commercial units from leasehold to freehold
• Development of area outside lal dora through land pooling

Congress

• 20,000 litres of free water every month to residents
• 300 units of free electricity to all families with a monthly income up to Rs 20,000
• Make Chandigarh a ‘city-state’
• Ownership rights of dwelling units in ‘rehabilitation colonies’
• Extending lal dora in villages and regularising construction beyond it
• To regularise need-based changes in CHB flats on Delhi pattern
• Conversion of all categories of leasehold properties into freehold

As far as his rival is concerned, Tandon has been attacking Tewari since early days of campaigning by raising the issue of the Congress leader changing his constituencies. He also referred to him as a constituency hopper.

Tewari, also a fresh face from the city, has been accusing the BJP of murdering the democracy citing incident involving nominated councillor Anil Masih wherein the latter declared certain votes invalid during the last Mayoral poll. He has also been attacking Tandon for not joining him for a debate.