The mayoral candidates of the ruling BJP and Opposition parties the Congress, INLD and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as well as an Independent filed their nomination papers on the last day for filing of papers at Rohtak on Monday.

In all, five aspirants filed their nominations for the post of Rohtak Mayor. These include BJP candidate Ram Avtar Balmiki, Congress nominee Surajmal Kiloi, AAP candidate Amit Khatak, INLD nominee Suraj and Independent candidate Deepak Singh.

All candidates submitted their nomination papers to the Election Officer for the Rohtak mayoral poll, Major (retd) Gayatri Ahlawat, at her office.

BJP nominee Balmiki was accompanied by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra, former state minister Manish Grover and former Rohtak Mayor Manmohan Goel as he filed his papers.

The Chief Minister appealed to the people to vote for the BJP candidates in the upcoming municipal elections.

"Our government has already fulfilled 18 promises included in the party's election manifesto, while work is in progress on 10 more," said Saini.

Balmiki promised to ensure all-round development and beautification of Rohtak on being voted to power.

Congress candidate Surajmal Kiloi was accompanied by local Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra and former president of District Bar Association Lokender Singh Phogat alias Jojo.

"Residents of Rohtak, who have suffered a lot due to gross misgovernance under the BJP regime, have now got an opportunity to change the governance of the city," stated Batra.

He remarked that the BJP leadership, who was seeking votes in the name of double-engine and triple-engine governments, was unable to face the people as it had failed to address their concerns.

"We will focus on provision of basic amenities such as clean drinking water, sound sewerage and sanitation, good roads and well-maintained parks etc to the residents of Rohtak," said Kiloi.

Questioned whether he would be able to deliver as a Congress Mayor under the BJP regime in the state, Kiloi said the Municipal Corporation was an independent body having its own budget.

A direct contest between the Congress and the BJP was likely to be witnessed in Rohtak in the mayoral elections.

The BJP is contesting in all 22 wards of the Rohtak Municipal Corporation, while the Congress has fielded its candidates in 17 wards.

A direct contest is also likely to be witnessed in most of the wards where the Congress and BJP candidates are in the fray, though a triangular contest may be witnessed in some of these.

Certain Independent candidates have also thrown their hats in the ring, making the poll battle more interesting.