Haryana municipal polls: BJP, Congress battle for Ambala, Panchkula

Polling is underway for municipal corporation elections in Haryana's Ambala, Panchkula, and Sonipat, with a direct contest between the BJP and Congress. Key candidates have cast their votes, while Congress leaders express confidence in their victory.

Polling is underway for the election of Mayor and ward councillors in the municipal corporations of Ambala, Panchkula and Sonipat in Haryana. BJP and Congress are the main contenders in the municipal corporation elections.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the Mayor position in Ambala, Akshita Saini, on Sunday cast her vote. She is up against Congress candidate Kulwinder Kaur. In Panchkula, Congress Mayor candidate Sudha Bhardwaj cast her vote. She is up against the BJP's Shyam Lal Bansal. Speaking with reporters, she said, "We will accept the people's decision. Citizens have been arriving to vote since morning, full of excitement and eager for change."

The voting will continue till 6 pm. The counting of votes will take place on May 13.

Other Polls and By-Elections

Additionally, Polling is also being held for the President and Members of all the wards of the Municipal Council in Rewari and for the election of president and councillors in municipal committees of Sampla in Rohtak district, Uklana in Hisar district and Dharuhera in Rewari district. By-elections are also being held for one ward each in Tohana, Jhajjar, Rajound, Tarori, Kanina and Sadhaura.

Congress Leaders Express Confidence

Earlier, Senior Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the public mood in Haryana appears to be shifting in favour of his party ahead of the local body elections. Speaking to reporters in Sonipat, Hooda said, "Judging by the public mood, the people's inclination currently lies with the Congress party. The public has realised that the Congress party is capable of delivering development; consequently, the people's sentiment is shifting in favour of the Congress."

Meanwhile, Congress leader Raj Babbar said that there is growing enthusiasm among the public for Congress candidate from Sonipat, Kamal Diwan, during the ongoing local body election campaign in Haryana. "I have arrived in Haryana today for a campaign, specifically here in Sonipat; yesterday, I was in Panchkula. From what I observe--both among the people I am interacting with and as I go out to campaign--there is a sense of enthusiasm among the public, particularly for Kamal Diwan. This is because his family is a long-established one, deeply rooted in and closely connected with the community," he said.

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