Winning run shows its solid grip on state
The ruling party emerged victorious in 6 of 7 municipal corporations and most of the 109 other civic bodies
CHANDIGARH: The Congress continued its winning run in Punjab with a near clean sweep in the local body elections across the state, benefitting from the farmers’ protests.
The ruling party’s massive victories in six of the seven municipal corporations and
most of the 109 other civic bodies with a clear majority show its political grip on the state amidst the unprecedented stir by the farmers against the three farm laws enacted by the Bjp-central government.
The scale of its triumph is evident from the number of seats won and victory margins, particularly in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’S strongholds of Hoshiarpur and Pathankot and Akalis’ bastion of Bathinda.
The party won more than 80% wards in the municipal corporations of Bathinda and Hoshiarpur, the two seats are represented by SAD’S former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and BJP leader and Union minister of state Som
Prakash in Lok Sabha, respectively. Similarly, it bagged 74% seats in Pathankot, the home turf of BJP state unit president Ashwani Sharma.
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar called the party’s victory a “launching pad” for the state polls.
“The verdict is an endorsement of chief minister Amarinder Singh’s ability to maintain peace and communal amity despite the Centre’s attempts to destabilize the state,” he said.
A major determinant that worked for it in the polls, seen by many Congress leaders as the semi-final before next year’s assembly elections, was the proclivity of electors to vote for the party in power. The party also benefitted from the split in the BJP-SAD alliance following differences over the farm laws. The two parties, which complemented each other well, contested the polls separately and suffered serious setbacks amidst allegations of rigging by the ruling party.
The Congress also faced a few blips in Moga municipal corporation where it fell short of majority with 20 of the 50 seats, and sitting MLA’S wife lost, besides the defeat of a cabinet minister’s brother in Kharar.
The victory is the latest in a series of elections, including the Lok Sabha, panchayats and assembly bypolls, won by the party since its return to power in the state with a two-thirds majority four years ago.