Gurugram MC poll: BJP, Congress bank on Punjabi voters, field women candidates from community for mayoral post

Having played a decisive role in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, nearly 1.34 lakh voters from the Punjabi community will hold the key to the city’s civic government. Well aware of the importance of the community voters, both the BJP and the Congress have fielded Punjabi women candidates for the post of Mayor.

The BJP has given the ticket for the mayoral election to Raj Rani Malhotra. Though she herself is not a very known face, her husband, Tilak Raj Malhotra, has been associated with the RSS for a long time, and is the party’s former district president.

The BJP had fielded Tilak Raj for the MLA elections from Gurgaon in 2000, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the party in-charge of Haryana. Tilak Raj is a close confidante of former Haryana Chief Minister and Union Minister ML Khattar and his wife’s candidature has reportedly been supported by Gurugram MP and Central Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, too. In the recently held Vidhan Sabha elections, the Punjabi voters had supported the BJP and the party is banking on same.

Speaking to The Tribune, Tilak Raj said he and his wife had long served the city in best of their capacity. “We are aware residents of the city and rather than chasing publicity, we have worked on ground as party workers. We are humbled by the confidence party has shown in us and are sure that people will yet again support the party,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Congress, which is striving to regain its lost ground in the city, has also given ticket to popular Punjabi woman leader Seema Pahuja, a turncoat from the BJP. According to Pahuja, it is a “ghar waapsi” for her as she was initially with the Congress before joining the saffron party in 2019. A two-time councillor, she sought an Assembly ticket last year but was denied. She came out in support of BJP’s rebel Naveen Goyal, who was denied a party ticket from the Gurugram constituency during the state Assembly elections.

“I have served the city in various positions under the MC. I have experience and public support and the Congress has recognised that. We were toothless during our last terms and the city became a civic disaster. I am sure that people will vote to get rid of civic exigency,” said Seema Pahuja.

Key issues

Mismanagement of domestic waste

Illegal dumping of C and D waste

Collapsing sewerage in several parts of Faridabad

Poor condition of roads