Farmers Movement Archive

BJP, AAP draw blank in Bathinda, Abohar MCs

Bathinda: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could not muster a single win in the municipal coporation election in Bathnda and Abohar town, and municipal council elections in Samana and Nabha on Wednesday. The Congress secured massive wins in Bathinda and Abohar, and emerged as the single largest party in Moga municipal coporation. The BJP, which has drawn widespread criticism in Punjab over the Centre passing three contentious farm laws, could muster a win in just one ward of Moga. Due to pressure over farm laws, many BJP candidates had contested as independents. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had been the incumbent party in Bathinda and Moga, but it could win in just seven of the total 50 wards in Batinda and 15 of 50 wards in Moga . In Abohar, where the local body was recently upgraded to a municipal corporation, the Congress won 49 of 50 wards and the SAD won the last remaining ward. The loss in Abohar would be a setback for BJP, as Abohar is represented by the party’s Arun Narang in the state assembly. He won the assembly election from Abohar in 2017 by defeating Sunil Jakhar, who is now state president of Congress. The victory is being seen as a blessing in disguise for Jakhar. In Bathinda, the Congress won 43 of 50 wards. Here too, AAP drew a blank, like the BJP. The election in Bathinda was being seen as a litmus test for Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal, who took a lot of pains in campaigning for Congress candidates. The result is also being seen as a precursor to the 2022 assembly elections. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal had got a lead from Bathinda, after losing twice in a row from Bathinda Urban assembly segment in 2009 and 2014. The Moga municipal corporation witnessed a fractured verdict with no party being able to secure a majority. Congress turned out as the single largest party by winning 20 of the 50 seats up for grabs. Here, SAD did well by winning 15 seats, independents won 10 wards, Aam Aadmi Party won four seats, and BJP won one seat. In Patiala, of the total 92 wards which fall under four Samana, Nabha, Patran and Rajura municipal councils, Congress won 66 seats, SAD and independent candidates bagged 11 seats each, and BJP and AAP won two seats each. In Patran MC, which has 17 wards, Congress won seven, SAD three, independents six, and AAP one. In Rajpura MC, which has 31 wards, Congress won 27 seats, BJP two, and AAP and SAD one each. In the 23 wards of Nabha MC, Congress won 14 seats, SAD six, and independents three. In Ward 4 of Nabha, where a video of clash had gone viral over social media, the independent candidate won. In Samana MC, of the total 21 wards, Congress won 18, SAD won one, and independents two.

The Times of India

2021-02-18

Amritsar