BJP picks OBC candidate for Panipat mayoral poll
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took the lead by naming its mayoral candidate on Friday night for the upcoming Panipat civic body poll even as the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are yet to decide their candidates. The party has named OBC leader Komal Saini as candidate for mayoral poll.
While tickets for posts of councillor are yet to be decided by all parties, aspirants have started canvassing in respective wards and also started seeking support of the senior leaders.
After winning the Delhi polls, the BJP leaders have now shifted their focus on the MC election in Panipat, popular as ‘Textile City’ world over. A total 26 aspirants had filed their applications for the mayoral post, while 220 party leaders had applied for the posts of councillor with BJP’s district president Dushyant Bhatt around a week ago.
As per the party sources, senior leaders at Panipat have sent a panel of three candidates for the mayoral post, of which the name of Navin Bhatia’s was dropped after a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid at his residence in Model Town on Thursday.
The party considered Komal Saini, a former councillor and district president of BJP women cell, for the mayoral post and announced her name on Friday night. Even as the mayoral post was for general category this time, the BJP had reposed its faith in OBC face Komal Saini.
Dusyant Bhatt, BJP’s district president, said Komal Saini had been declared as the BJP’s mayoral candidate and the list of candidates for posts of councillor would be released soon.
In the Congress, the deadline for receiving applications from the aspirants ended on Friday afternoon. The party had fixed three days — February 12, 13 and 14 for receiving the applications.
As per information, 16 aspirants have filed applications for the mayoral post in the Congress, while 98 names have been received for the posts of councillor for 26 wards.
As per the party sources, the prominent mayoral post aspirants in the Congress are Surbhi Sharma from Ansal, Kajal Bathla, Raj Kumar Pahwa alias Raju Telwala, Prem Sachdeva, Vikramjeet Singh Arora, Krishan Kumar Valmiki, Pradeep Kumar, Tilak Rajora, Kamal Diwan and Satpal Ror.
Congress leader Satpal Ror who received the applications said 16 aspirants had filed applications for the mayoral post, while 98 filed applications for the posts of councillor. All applications would be sent to the party senior leaders and after a detailed discussion, the candidates would be announced, he said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Surender Ahlawat said the party was ready to contest the civic polls with full strength. The party has deputed ward-wise in-charge who are collecting applications in their concerned wards.
Eight aspirants had filed their applications for the mayoral post, while several applications had been received for posts of councillor, he said.
