MC Polls: Selection of candidates a tough task for senior party leaders

The selection of candidates for the mayoral post for the upcoming civic polls a tough task for the senior party leaders in the ruling party BJP as well as in the Opposition the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).However, the ticket of the candidates are yet to be decided but the aspirants began their canvassing internally in their wards concerned and also started seeking support of the senior leaders in almost all parties.

The BJP party leaders after winning the Delhi polls, now shifted their focus in the MC polls election in the globally known ‘Textile City’  Panipat. A total 26 aspirants have filed their applications for the mayoral post while 220 party leaders have filed their applications for the councillor’s posts to the BJP’s district president Dushyant Bhatt around one week ago.

The senior party leaders in Panipat had already discussed the names of the probable candidates and they sent a panel to the party high command to finalise the names of the candidates .However, a list of the BJP mayoral candidates went viral on social media on Friday, but later the list was withdrawn. The party leaders said the list would be finalised soon. Dusyant Bhatt, BJP’s district president, said that the list that went viral on social media was fake and it would be released later.

“A panel of six aspirants for the mayoral post and two aspirants from each ward has been sent to the party high command. The list would be finalised by the party’s senior functionaries,” Bhatt added.

While, in the Congress the time period for receiving applications of the aspirants ended on Friday afternoon. The Congress party has fixed three days February 12, 13 and 14 to receive the applications. As per the available information, a total 16 aspirants have filed their applications for the mayoral post in the Congress party while a total 98 applications have been received for the councillor posts for 26 wards.

As per the party sources, the prominent names of the mayoral 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, Satpal Ror showed their interest in contesting election for the mayoral post.

Congress leader Satpal Ror, who received the applications of the aspirants said 16 aspirants filed their application for the mayoral post while 98 aspirants filed their applications for the councillor’s post in 26 wards. 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. As many as eight aspirants have filed their applications for the mayoral post and received several applications for the councillor’s post, he said.