Haryana Mayoral elections: BJP crushes Congress yet again
The outcome is such a huge blow to Congress strongman Bhupinder Singh Hooda who considers Rohtak as his bastion.
Months after it stunned the Congress in Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday crushed its political foe yet again in local body elections held across Haryana.
The BJP celebrated as its candidates won nine of the 10 mayoral positions while losing one to an independent candidate. The Congress, which had hoped to make a mark, was left licking its wounds.
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Election for the posts of mayor and ward members were held this month for the municipal corporations of Manesar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar, Rohtak, Karnal, Yamunanagar, Panipat, Ambala and Sonipat.
BJP CM celebrates
An overjoyed chief minister Nayab Singh Saini declared: "The people have put their stamp of approval on a 'triple-engine' government. I thank the people from the bottom of my heart."
Incumbent BJP's Raj Rani beat Seema Pahuja of the Congress by over one lakh votes in Gurugram, which adjoins the Indian capital.
In a five-cornered contest for Rohtak's mayoral seat, the BJP's Ram Avtar came on top with over one lakh votes. Surajmal Kiloi of Congress finished a distant second with 45,000 votes.
Some BJP wins
The outcome was a huge blow to Congress strongman Bhupinder Singh Hooda who considers Rohtak as his bastion.
In Ambala, the BJP's Shailja Sachdeva was elected the Mayor, defeating Amisha Chawla of the Congress by 20,487 votes.
Parveen Joshi of the BJP defeated Lata Rani of the Congress' Lata Rani in Faridabad.
A solitary loss
BJP candidates Praveen Popli, Renu Bala Gupta and Komal Saini won in Hisar, Karnal and Panipat respectively. The BJP’s Rajiv Jain overcame Koma Dewan of the Congress in Sonipat.
In Yamunanagar, Suman of the BJP beat the Congress' Kirna Devi. The BJP’s Sunder Lal, however, lost to independent candidate Inderjeet Yadav in Manesar.
Low voter turnout
The overall voter turnout was a disappointing 41 per cent, far less than the 68 per cent electorate who voted during the Assembly elections last year.
As many as 26 ward members have been elected unopposed.