Haryana BJP to contest municipal polls on party symbol, core committee decides strategy

Chandigarh: A day after the Haryana State Election Commission announced the schedule for the general elections to 33 civic bodies, the Haryana BJP declared on Wednesday its plan to contest the elections for municipal corporations and municipal councils on the party symbol. The party will decide within the next two days whether to contest municipal committee elections on the same symbol.
Haryana BJP in-charge Satish Poonia shared this information after chairing a meeting of the core committee of senior BJP leaders, including state BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli. Other leaders present in the meeting included Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, BJP national secretary Om Parkash Dhankar, former minister Ram Bilas Sharma, former MP Sunita Duggal, and all three general secretaries of the party. Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini also attended the meeting.
Besides civic polls, the meeting also deliberated upon the review of organisational elections to elect a new executive of the state BJP. While the discussion was kept under wraps, it is learned that all the leaders decided to ensure a clean sweep in the civic body polls.
Notably, the core committee meeting followed a marathon meeting of district in-charges and district presidents of the BJP, which was jointly chaired by chief minister Saini, Poonia, and Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar at the chief minister's residence. During the meeting, Saini and Poonia outlined the party's strategy for the civic polls.
Besides office bearers, the BJP MLAs and ministers also attended the meeting. It is learned that the senior leaders reviewed the preparations by district and block-level units. At the same time, the leaders also hinted at starting the process to shortlist probable candidates for the civic bodies.
During his media interaction, Poonia categorically confirmed the use of the party symbol for elections to the posts of members, mayors, and presidents of municipal corporations and municipal councils. He said the party would decide whether to contest elections to the members of Municipal Committees on the party symbol, as there were chances to contest the election for the post of president on the party symbol.
SEC Dhanpat Singh on Tuesday announced the rollout for elections to 33 civic bodies of the state. These included direct elections of mayors and ward members in eight municipal corporations, i.e., Faridabad, Gurugram, Manesar, Hisar, Karnal, Panipat, Rohtak, and Yamunanagar.
The municipal councils going to the polls include Ambala Sadar, Pataudi-Jatauli Mandi, Thanesar, and Sirsa. The municipal committees going to the polls include Barara, Bawani Khera, Loharu, Siwan, Jakhal Mandi, Farukh Nagar, Narnaund, Beri, Julana, Kalayat, Pundri, Indri, Nilokheri, Ateli Mandi, Kanina, Taoru, Hathin, Kalanaur, Kharkhoda, and Radaur.
Besides this, by-elections to the posts of mayors of Ambala City and Sonipat will also be held.
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