With 113 candidates in the fray for Zila Parishad elections, Patiala topped the district contestant list for the upcoming zila parishad and block samiti elections scheduled to be held on Sunday.
This comes days after a audio clip purportedly of Patiala SSP Varun Sharma heard directing his subordinates to prevent Opposition candidates from filing their nomination papers for the rural polls went viralzila parishad and block samiti elections, stirred a controversy prompting SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa moving PILs in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. SSP Sharma is now on a week’s leave.
However, even after the controversy, Patiala is the only district that has seen number of candidates in fray crossing the 100 mark.
In Patiala, 143 candidates passed the scrutiny on December 5 and 30 of them withdrew their nominations on last date of withdrawal of nominations on December 6.
Punjab’s largest district Ludhiana, is also trailing behind Patiala with 97 candidates in the fray for Zila Parishad elections. As many as 130 were able to file nominations and 33 withdrew their papers on the last day.
Jalandhar has 83 candidates in fray with 31 withdrawing after 114 had passed the scrutiny. Sangrur and Hoshiarpur districts both have 80 candidates in fray each.
In Amritsar, the district saw maximum number of withdrawals at 51 and only 65 candidates in fray even as 119 had filed their nominations. In Barnala, out of 40 nominations clearing the scrutiny, 35 are left in the fray. In Bathinda, out of 86 nomination papers accepted, 63 candidates are in fray with 23 withdrawing their papers.
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The Opposition parties in Punjab had alleged “excesses” by the ruling party government for not allowing the Opposition candidates to file their papers. In Patiala, an off video had gone viral in which papers of a Congress candidate was snatched by a man, trying to cover his face with his jacket.
In Ferozepur, nomination papers of 90 candidates were found to have passed the scrutiny with 24 withdrawing the papers and 66 remaining in the contest. The minimum number of 16 candidates in fray were in Tarn Taran district out of which 12 were elected unanimously. As many as 13 had withdrawn their papers. Pathankot, Ropar and Nawanshahar have only 32, 36 and 38 candidates respectively. Barnala and Faridkot also have 35 and 38 candidates respectively.
Fazilka, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Gurdaspur have 65,39 and 73 candidates respectively. In others – Kapurthala (44), Moga (69), Mansa (42), Malerkotla (40) and Muktsar (51). Only two districts have seen unanimously elected candidates. Besides Taran Tarn, where 13 candidates were elected unopposed, three candidates were elected unanimously in Amritsar. A total of 1250 candidates are in fray in Zila Parishad elections across the state.
In Block Samiti elections, Ludhiana (793) has maximum candidates in fray followed by Patiala (621). Amritsar has 379, Barnala has 179, Bathinda has 448, Ferozepur has 319, Faridkot has 227, Fazilka has 416 candidates contesting the elections.
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Fatehgarh Sahib has seen 263 candidates, Gurdaspur (494), Hoshiarpur (582), Jalandhar (586), Kapurthala ( 278), Ludhiana ( 793), Moga (333), Mansa (256), Malerkotla (134), Muktsar (338), Patiala (621), Pathankot (285), Ropar (280), Nawanshahar (241), Sangrur (439), Tarn Taran (217).
