Congress to fight municipal corporation elections on party symbol

The Congress will contest the elections of the municipal corporations in Haryana, including the elections for the posts of Mayor, on the party symbol.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Haryana Congress leadership held in Delhi on Friday.

The meeting, chaired by Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan, was attended by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former Union minister Birender Singh, besides party MPs, MLAs and other state leaders.

Sirsa MP and former Union Minister Kumari Selja and the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala were, however, conspicuous by their absence at the meeting.

As per party sources, the state Congress leadership has decided to contest only the Municipal Corporation and mayoral elections on its symbol.

“The meeting authorised the party’s state president to take decision on contesting the elections of the municipal councils and committees on party symbol,” sources said, pointing out that a majority of participants were against the use of party symbol in the committee elections.

After the meeting, Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan stated that the party would contest the elections of municipal corporations and mayors on its symbol.

“The municipal elections should be conducted with ballot papers instead of using electronic voting machines (EVMs). A delegation of the state Congress leaders will soon meet the Election Commissioner of Haryana in this regard,” he maintained.

Meanwhile, Congress MP from Rohtak Deepender Singh Hooda has stated that the municipal elections should be conducted with ballot papers as the party had no faith in the EVMs.

“The conduct of elections through EVMs raises doubts over the poll process. Hence, we will urge the Election Commission to conduct the municipal elections through ballot papers,” said Deepender.

He pointed out that elections were recently conducted in Uttarakhand with ballot papers.