MCs go to SAD-BJP

Complaints of rigging in Patiala and stray incidents of violence in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana notwithstanding, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janta Party (SAD-BJP) alliance raced to a clear majority in all four cities where municipal corporation elections were held today.

While the Akalis claimed a “landslide” win in Patiala, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh dubbed the elections as “farce”, alleging “massive rigging”, as the Congress could win only four seats in a house of 50. The SAD-BJP alliance, supported by independents, got 46 seats, of which 10 went to the BJP kitty and the remaining 36, including three independents, to the Akali Dal.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and working president of Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal thanked the voters of the four municipal corporation cities for the “peaceful conduct of elections” and for “reposing their faith in the policies and programmes of the SAD-BJP alliance”. They termed the win of the alliance in Patiala as “historic”.

The polling varied between 40 per cent to 90 per cent. It was more than 80 per cent in many of the wards in Patiala, where Congressmen alleged booth capturing and demanded a re-poll. Electronic voting machines were used and contingents of the Punjab police were on election duty in all MC cities.

After Patiala, the Akalis performed well in Ludhiana, where they got 24 of the 75 seats, followed by the Congress and Independents with 17 seats each and the BJP got 14.

It was close in Amritsar where Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and Congress ended with 15 to 20 seats each. Congress had got 18 seats with five results still pending.

In Jalandhar, both Congress and BJP were tied at number one position, with 19 seats each in a house of 60 with 14 seats going to Akalis. Of the seven Independents declared successful, two are SAD rebels and one of the BJP. One of the Independents announced joining Akali Dal after the declaration of results.

Since the MLAs whose constituencies fall within the jurisdiction of the Corporation concerned have the right to cast their votes in mayoral elections, the ruling alliance is now all set to get its nominees as mayors by the end of this week.

Interestingly, both the CPI and CPM, alliance partners of Congress in these elections, got one seat each. The CPI got it in Amritsar and the CPM in Ludhiana.

Other major political force of the state, Bahujan Samaj Party, lost all 42 seats in Amritsar but had some success in Jalandhar (one) and Ludhiana (two).