The Hindu : Other States / Union Territories News : Chandigarh ward by-poll becomes a proxy-war

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Monday, Nov 22, 2004

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Other States - Union Territories

Chandigarh ward by-poll becomes a proxy-war

By Rajesh Ahuja

CHANDIGARH, NOV. 21. The three political heavyweights of the City Beautiful who had contested the Lok Sabha elections in May this year against each other are once more fighting a "proxy war" of sorts in Ward No.11 of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation where a by-election is due on November 28.

According to political observers, the stakes are said to be quite high for the sitting Congress MP, Pawan Kumar Bansal, the former BJP MP, Satya Pal Jain, and the former Union Minister, Harmohan Dhawan, as a Congress victory or defeat in this small ward -- comprising Sectors 20 and 33 -- would obviously give a sort of "rating" on Mr. Bansal's performance and give an opportunity to the other two players to retrieve their lost political stature which the lost during the Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress, the BJP and Mr. Dhawan's outfit -- the Chandigarh Vikas Manch -- have launched a vigorous campaign to win this seat which was recently vacated by the BJP's sitting councillor, Gian Chand Gupta. However, the entry into the fray of Congress rebel candidate, Rajesh Gupta, could upset the political calculations of the three major political groups.

The Congress has fielded the local Youth Congress chief, H.S. Lucky, while the BJP has put up G.L. Jindal and the Chandigarh Vikas Manch O.P. Verma.

Even though most of the residents belonging to Sector 20 are Government employees and are rather "disinterested" in the electioneering, the political parties are leaving no stone unturned to wrest the seat. However, the peaceful atmosphere in the area has become tense after a group of Congress leaders including Mr. Bansal and Mr. Lucky reportedly "abused and threatened" Dr. Verma at his residence in Sector 20 in the presence of Mr. Dhawan. The Chandigarh Vikas Manch has not only lodged a police complaint but also condemned the incident.

Mr. Dhawan told The Hindu that the manner in which the local MP and his associates verbally abused Dr. Verma without any "provocation" clearly indicated that the Congressmen owing allegiance to Mr. Bansal were "jittery" on three or four counts -- the candidature of Mr. Lucky had been thrust upon the local unit by the party high command; the Congressmen owing allegiance to the other groups were keeping aloof and Mr. Lucky was an "outsider" while the other candidates were residents of the Ward. The former Union Minister has also demanded an enquiry into the alleged role played by two gunmen of Punjab Police who were accompanying Mr. Lucky when the "fracas" occurred.

However, Mr. Lucky, asserts that the "outsider" card of his opponents would not work as he has recently shifted his residence to Sector 33.

Moreover, he says that the people of the Ward would surely vote for the Congress as only it can ensure speedy development of the area being the party in power at the Centre and the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Dr. Verma and Mr. Gupta assert that they are intimately aware of the local problems as they are in constant touch with the residents. They claim that the main fight will be between them. Interestingly, the BJP too has geared up its door-to-door campaigning.

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Chandigarh ward by-poll becomes a proxy-war