Election fever yet to grip Malwa

Just six days are left for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections scheduled for December 14, but full-fledged election fever is yet to grip Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Moga and Barnala districts.

Except for a few scattered posters and hoardings, the usual buzz of the rural polls is noticeably missing, barring a few seats.

On the ground, AAP appears to have a “natural advantage” by being the party in power. However, the SAD and the Congress are also trying hard to win over the voters, who are lacking usual enthusiasm. The BJP, though less visibly active, has tried to make its presence felt by filing the maximum number of papers, signalling to its national leadership that organisational work at the grassroots is ongoing.

In some seats, Independents have also managed to secure backing from Opposition parties, adding an extra layer of complexity to the contests.

In Bathinda, an unusual scene unfolded at the district administrative complex, where SAD workers outnumbered both AAP and Congress supporters during the nomination process.

Ferozepur witnessed some tense moments as a few Congress leaders staged protests, alleging hurdles in filing papers. In Zira, security was heightened with a local SHO and police personnel accompanying Congress candidates to ensure smooth filing of papers.

In Muktsar district, PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring recently inducted several leaders from other parties into the Congress fold.

In Mansa, the Borawal Zila Parishad seat has emerged as a keenly contested seat, with AAP leader Chuspinderbir Chahal and SAD leader Balveer Singh Biroke in the fray. In Barnala district, a brother-sister duo Harmanpreet Singh and Jashanpreet Kaur are contesting the panchayat samiti and zila parishad polls, respectively.

SAD leader and former Malout MLA Harpreet Singh said, "The election fever is picking up now. With just a few days left, all parties are trying their best. But people are fed up with the fake promises of the AAP government. This could be one of the reasons behind the lack of excitement among the public." Senior CPI leader and ex-MLA Hardev Arshi said public enthusiasm remained low. “These rural bodies have become toothless. Ministers and MLAs have taken away their financial powers. In some places, parties even struggled to find candidates,” said Arshi.