Jury still out on independents' performance

CHANDIGARH: There may be divergent views on whether SAD-BJP alliance's performance in municipal elections has reinforced its popularity but the results have certainly sprung a surprise with independents holding the key at most places.
The independents had diverse profiles - from party rebels of SAD and BJP to those supported by warring factions in the Congress and those having tacit support of AAP despite the party having opted out of the election.Put together, the outcomes of 122 civic bodies shows that independents have got the second slot with 623 seats against the SAD's top score of 813. BJP managed to get 348 and the Congress had to be content with 253 seats.
In case of the corporation results too, of the total 301 wards, independents were breathing down the neck of the Congress and ended up with only four seats less. While SAD got 82 and its ally BJP 85, Cong won 68 and independents walked away with 64 seats.
In the run up to the polls, BJP expelled 15 rebels from the party for not withdrawing their candidature after not being given a ticket by the party. SAD too cracked its whip by expelling all activists who went on to fight against the party's official candidates.
The Congress too paid a price for infighting as the dispute between party president and Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri had the party coming up with a dismal performance and independents winning 10 wards. Similarly, SAD workers fighting as rebels surprised with their performance in Mohali Municipal Corporation even after being expelled from the party.
Wards where independents registered convincing win included Nurmehal, Phillaur, Alwarpur, Garshankar, Rahon, Raikot, Morinda and Dhanula.
"At some places, party leaders had preferred to fight as independents. To add to it, there were a large number of rebels and those who had party cadres working at cross-purposes to make them win. But such a performance by independents is unprecedented in municipal polls," said a Congress leader.
For the Congress, poor performance in areas represented by senior leaders like Capt Amarinder Singh's son Raninder Singh, Partap Bajwa's wife Charanjit Kaur and Lal Singh too should be a matter of concern.