Fatehgarh Sahib, February 5
Ahead of the civic body polls, the BJP has suffered a jolt with Mandi Gobindgarh mandal chief Puneet Goyal quitting the party. He will now contest as an Independent.
After the withdrawal of nominations, 128 candidates are left in the fray for 27 wards of the MC, whereas two Congress councillors have already been elected unopposed.
Balwinder Khatra, a Congress candidate, alleged his nomination was rejected at the behest of Amloh MLA just to ensure unopposed victory of his “favourite” contractor Narinder Kaushal.
In the Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib MC, 92 nominees are left in the fray for 21 wards, while two Congress candidates have already been elected unopposed. The nomination papers of four SAD (B), two BJP and two AAP candidates have been rejected.
SAD halka in charge Didar Singh Bhatti alleged at the behest of Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra, the nomination of four SAD candidates had been rejected. He said in ward No. 12, the papers of SAD candidates were rejected just to ensure unopposed victory for the controversial blue-eyed boy of the MLA.
Similarly, the papers of SAD candidate from ward No. 10, from where Market Committee chairman Gulshan Rai Bobby is contesting, have been rejected to ensure his victory. Bhatti said the party would take all legal options.
In Bassi Pathana, 77 candidates are in the fray for 15 wards. No BJP candidate has filed nomination papers here, while the SAD is contesting on eight seats and the Congress on all 15 seats.
In Khamano, 41 candidates are in the fray for 13 wards and the BJP is not contesting.
Meanwhile, DC-cum-District Electoral Officer Amrit Kaur Gill has refuted the allegations of the SAD, AAP and BJP of rejecting papers of their candidates at the behest of the Congress. Gill said the papers were rejected as per law. Free and fair polls would be ensured, she said. — OC
Setback for BJP as Mandi Gobindgarh unit chief quits
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