All set for counting of MC votes today, results significant for BJP

CHANDIGARH: Stage is set for counting of votes on Wednesday for five municipal corporations (MCs) and two municipal committees that went to polls on Sunday. The results are significant for the ruling BJP, the INLD and the Congress because these elections were held less than six months before the parliamentary elections and nearly 10 months is left for the Assembly polls.

Returning officer Shakti Singh gives training to counting staff in Karnal on Tuesday. Tribun photo

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 18

Stage is set for counting of votes on Wednesday for five municipal corporations (MCs) and two municipal committees that went to polls on Sunday.

The results are significant for the ruling BJP, the INLD and the Congress because these elections were held less than six months before the parliamentary elections and nearly 10 months is left for the Assembly polls.

The BJP and the INLD-BSP alliance had fielded their candidates on the party symbol, while the Congress had announced support to Independent candidates of their choice.

Being primarily a party of the urbanites, it is very important for the BJP to win in all five MCs where the elections for the mayoral posts were held directly for the first time.

A win in these elections will boost the morale of the BJP workers which is understandably low after results of the Assembly elections in five states, but a loss will dampen their spirits further ahead of the next year’s parliamentary and Assembly polls.

On the other hand, the Congress workers who are upbeat after formation of the governments in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are hoping for another morale booster in the form of victory of Independents supported by them.

The INLD, on the other hand, has never had a stronghold over urban voters in the state. However, since a number of people have shifted to towns from villages over the past two decades or more, the party’s candidates can spring a surprise in any of the MC if the urban voters are divided between the BJP, the Congress and Independents and they manage to get a bulk of urban votes.

Meanwhile, elaborate arrangements have been made by the authorities for counting of votes.

Dr Dalip Singh, State Election Commissioner, said that counting of votes would begin simultaneously at seven locations in the state at 8 am and the results would likely to be out by the afternoon.

Five MCs of Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat, Hisar and Rohtak and municipal committees of Jakhal (Fatehabad) and Pundri (Kaithal) had gone to the polls on Sunday when nearly 69 per cent electorates exercised their right to franchise.

The results would be available on e-dashboard on the website of State Election Commission and these would be updated every 30 minutes, said Singh.