MC election: No papers filed on second day in Phagwara

No papers were filed on the second day of filing nominations in Phagwara with political parties yet to decide on their candidates for the MC elections. The Congress party, BJP, SAD, BSP and even AAP have not declared their candidates till now.

The screening committee of these political parties was active but the internal tug of war in all political parties except the SAD and BSP could be considered as the main reason for the delay. Not much time left before the elections is also turning out to be a factor that is giving a difficult time to the parties in making up their mind.

Adding to the woes of the parties, the aspirants for the upcoming MC elections will be required to get NOCs from five department. Earlier, four NOCs were required from property tax, disposal, water and sewerage, building and licence branch departments.

Though former Union Minister Som Parkash has issued a statement saying that no NOC was required for candidates, but Returning Officer-cum-SDM Jashanjit Singh said, “We will verify documents from Municipal Corporation, Phagwara.”

Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, who is also the District Congress Committee president, SAD president Ranjit Singh Khurana, BJP leaders Vijay Sampla and Som Parkash, AAP leaders Joginder Singh Maan, Jarnail Nangal, Lalit Saklani, Santosh Kumar Gogi, Ashok Bhatia and Improvement Trust Chairman Kashmir Singh Malhi, besides AAP Lok Sabha MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal are actively working to select candidates from their respective parties. — OC