Amid Cong sweep, CPI firms up strength at Joga

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Mansa, February 17

Notwithstanding the sweeping victory by the ruling Congress in the civic body elections in the state, Independent candidates backed by the CPI have won 12 seats of the total 13 in the Joga Nagar Panchayat of Mansa district.

The SAD and Congress had not fielded their candidates on the party symbols following which the CPI-backed candidates also decided to contest without these. Earlier, in the 2015 civic body elections also, the CPI had won nine seats.

Balkaran Singh Brar, CPI general secretary, said, “The CPI has been sweeping elections in Joga for the past many years. Apart from development works being carried out by previously elected candidates, it’s also a victory of the invaluable contribution of Jangir Singh Joga and other farm activists of the area, who have shaped narrative of local politics. People from the area have also made significant contribution to the ongoing farmers’ agitation against three agricultural laws.”

“Since the Independents, fielded by the two major traditional parties, had forged an unannounced alliance, the CPI district unit also decided to field their candidates as Independents without the party symbol,” Brar added.