SAD-BJP capture Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala MCs

Chandigarh, Aug 8: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP alliance passed the first test of its popularity, capturing power in the prestigous Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Jalandhar Municipal Corporations (MCs), votes for which were cast today.

An estimated 65 per cent of the 25 lakh electorate have cast their votes in the four cities today amid allegations by the Congress and the Left parties of booth capturing and intimidation of voters by the alliance partners. The Congress 'boycotted' the Patiala MC polls midway, at around noon charging the SAD-BJP of threatening candidates and polling agents of the Congress.

Reports from Amritsar said the SAD-BJP alliance ousted the Congress from the 65-member MC, capturing 33 seats out of the 62 results declared so far. Of these the BJP had bagged 17 and SAD 16.

The Congress could win just 18 seats, with its senior Deputy Mayor O P Gabbar being the most prominent loser. Ten seats were bagged by independents while one went to the CPI, an electoral ally of the Congress. Two results are yet to come in as the result in one ward has been held up following orders of repoll in a booth.

A report from Ludhiana said the SAD-BJP recaptured power after a gap of five years in the 75-member Corporation in Punjab.

The ruling alliance has won 41 seats, with the SAD winning in 24 wards and BJP in 17 of the 74 seats for which polling was held today. One candidate of the SAD was returned unopposed taking the tally of the alliance to 42.

The Congress showing was below expections with the party bagging just 15 seats while its ally, the CPI secured one seat. As many as 15 independents, a majority of them SAD rebels emerged victorious. The BSP was victorious in two wards.

Outgoing Ludhiana Mayor Nahar Singh Gill and Deputy Mayor Sushila Gupta were the prominent Congress losers. However senior Deputy Mayor Prem Mittal managed to win from his ward for the third successive time.

The SAD-BJP alliance also wrested the Jalandhar MC from the Congress, winning 33 seats in the 60-member house. Of these the BJP secured 19 seats while SAD was victorious in 14 wards.

The Congress won in 19 wards while seven independents and one BSP candidate emerged victorious.

Former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had to face humiliation in his home town with the SAD-BJP alliance winning 42 seats in the 50 member Patiala MC. The Congress which had announced the 'withdrawl' of its candidates at noon, could win just four wards while the remaining four went to independents. The most prominent loser in Patiala was Mayor Vishnu Sharma, a close confidant of Capt Singh. Of the 42 seats won by the alliance, the BJP secured nine while SAD pocketed 33 wards.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while hailing the victory of the SAD-BJP said that it was a vote in favour of the policies and programmes of his five month old government. He promised the voters that the alliance would keep its promises made to the voters.

Refering to the 'boycott' of the Congress in the Patiala MC polls, Mr Badal said the party had no faith in the principles of democracy and neither did it respect the verdict of the voters.

SAD acting president Sukhbir Singh Badal and senior BJP leaders have also hailed the victory of the alliance.

On the other hand the Congress backed by the Left parties have demanded a repoll in all the four cities under the supervision of central observors and central security forces. Congress chief Shamsher Singh Dullo has alleged misuse of official election machinery and intimidation of voters by the alliance.

Former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has sent a letter to Governor Gen (retd) S F Rodrigues asking him to cancel the Patiala MC poll and order repolling. He alleged that the SAD had ferried people from the rural areas to intimidate the voters and threaten candidates.

UNI