CHANDIGARH: In the absence of clarity on reservation of wards for the upcoming MC elections scheduled to be held in December this year, there is uncertainty among ticket aspirants of all political parties, including BJP, Congress, AAP and SAD.
As the UT administration is yet to notify reservation of wards for the upcoming MC elections, ticket aspirants are focusing on two to three “preferred” wards.
Former member of parliament (MP) Satya Pal Jain and leader of opposition in Chandigarh MC Devinder Babla, a Congress councillor had written to the UT administration for early declaration of reserved wards, especially as the number of wards has increased from 26 to 35. In the last MC elections in 2016, the draw for reservation of wards was held on October 14 and wards of nine sitting councillors had been reserved for women or SC candidates.
In the absence of clear information, a number of ticket aspirants have also prepared their wives to contest the MC elections in case their preferred wards get reserved for women. Ticket aspirants are also making their presence felt in two to three different wards.
A ticket aspirant from the Congress said that he had started working in two different wards, where he was meeting people regularly. A BJP leader said that it had become very difficult to focus on two to three wards but there was no choice.
In his letter to the UT administration, former MP Satya Pal Jain said that early declaration of reserved wards would enable people to make up their minds about their representatives and also enable different political parties to identify their candidates.
On December 30, the UT administration issued a notification of 35 wards in the Chandigarh municipal corporation. With the merger of 13 villages in the MC, the UT increased nine more wards after delimitation. The administration issued a draft notification, increasing 26 wards to 35 and sought suggestions and objections from people. The UT considered around 180 objections. Major changes were made in areas under wards 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 26 and 27. The last delimitation of wards was done in 2006.
