Parties struggle to stop their men from contesting as rebels

The political parties in the city are struggling with internal strife,with those denied tickets for the Municipal Corporation elections either shifting parties or threatening to contest independently.

The political parties in the city are struggling with internal strife,with those denied tickets for the Municipal Corporation (MC) elections either shifting parties or threatening to contest independently. Senior party leaders are busy fire-fighting in order to get their workers together prior to the polls to present a united image. The situation is,in fact,similar in both the BJP and Congress. With there being multiple candidates vying for tickets in each ward,the resentment among those left out is high.

The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC),which is affiliated to the Congress and has members from the organised and unorganised sectors,has decided to field its candidates against the Congress. The leaders claim that while they have always supported the Congress,when it comes to distribution of tickets,the party has always neglected them.

INTUC city unit General Secretary B S Gill has already filed his nomination and three more members are expected to file their nominations on Monday. These would include INTUC president Kulbir Singh,who will file his nomination from ward 13 from where he was a ticket aspirant but was denied the Congress ticket.

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We have worked together with the Congress for years. However,we are discriminated against in every election, lamented Gill. No tickets are given to us. We have members in almost every organisation. Four of us would be contesting the election, he informed.

With Monday being the last day of filing nominations,the parties was busy convincing their disgruntled leaders not to contest independently. Union Minister Pawan Bansal today held meetings with the leaders who had picked up the banner of revolt.

Among them was sitting councillor Bhupinder Singh Badheri who was threatening to contest independently after his name was struck off the list of candidates to accommodate fresh faces. While Badheri has withdrawn his decision to contest independently,he has reportedly asked to be assigned duties to campaign outside his ward. A meeting was also held with another claimant Subhash Dhiman who was staking claim in ward number 26 that was eventually given to councillor Arshad Khan.

Meanwhile in the BJP,a ruckus has been witnessed over the past few days over the distribution of tickets. There has been dissent in the party,especially after the list was changed.

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The present House Leader of the Opposition Gurcharan Dass Kala would be filing his nomination from ward number 25 from where he is the sitting councillor. Another BJP leader,Dr Meena Sharma,joined Chandigarh Jan Manch and would be contesting from ward 4.

Renu Tiwari,whose father-in-law was member of the Congress,would be contesting from ward 23 from the Chandigarh Jan Manch. A former BJP candidate from Dadumajra,Santosh Rana,has joined the Congress. BJP leader Narender Chaudhary too is likely to contest independently.

Many BJP leaders are a disgruntled lot after being denied tickets or after their candidates were not considered. Senior leader Yash Pal Mahajan has resigned from all party positions while others are ruing about being ignored by the party. National general secretary J P Nadda has held meetings with senior leaders to pacify them.

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