BJP, Congress sweat it out for ward byelection in Solan MC
The BJP and Congress are sweating it out for the ward bypoll in the Solan Municipal Corporation with less than a week remaining for the September 29 election.
The councillor will be elected for the remaining 16-month tenure of the civic body. The first elections from the MC were held in April 2021 after it was upgraded from a municipal council.
The seat had fallen vacant after the demise of BJP councillor Kulbhushan Gupta in March. Party vice-president Sanjiv Katwal is camping in the city to overlook the campaigning. With no Independent in the fray, Puneet Narang of the Congress faces a direct fight with BJP’s Amardeep.
Katwal said, “Given the popularity enjoyed by our candidate Amardeep, it seems he has an edge. He enjoys a good reputation in the ward and is well known owing to his social activities.”
Amardeep’s wife is a former councillor, while Puneet Narang resigned as a nominated councillor to contest this ward’s election. Narang has risked his post for this election and it remains to be seen if he would manage to become an elected councillor now.
The BJP and Congress functionaries have now stepped up their campaign and both were seen approaching the residents to seek favours. The respective councillors along with the city team of both parties were in the field to ensure victory of their respective candidate.
The Congress leaders faced uneasy questions from the public on forgotten promises like free garbage collection and subsidised water charges which the party had promised while contesting the elections in April 2021. The BJP was trying to capitalise on the Congress’ failure to keep up these promises as charges for both have increased.
For the Congress, the victory would mean an increase in its councillors strength from nine to 10 as well as a boost in the image of Health and Family Welfare Minister DR Shandil, which was hit by bitter factionalism among Congress councillors. The BJP, which was reduced to five, is gearing up to retain its original tally. Besides, there is one Independent councillor in the Solan MC, which has a total of 17 wards.
