MCG election results: Independents emerge largest ‘party’

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which bagged only four seats in 2011, won 14 seats in Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) elections held on Sunday.

A total of 12 seats were reserved for women and 15 women candidates emerged victorious. Twelve women candidates were elected councillors in 2011.

The tally, however, is a setback for the party leaders who are hopeful of bagging 30 out of 35 seats. The party had fielded candidates on all 35 seats, while the Congress did not field candidates on party symbol.

Loss of local MLA Umesh Aggarwal’s sister -in-law Himani Aggarwal from ward 9 and Pramod Mangla, son of Bhani Ram Mangla, from ward 19 has been another set back for the party. Bhani Ram is the chairman of Haryana cow protection commission has been another set back for the party.

Congress had supported 14 independent candidates, of which three won.

Indian National Lok Dal had fielded 20 candidates of which only one won. The party had supported 10 independents of which two won and those two were supported by the Congress as well.

Independent candidates have ruled the roost like 2011 when 26 independents emerged victorious.

The last MCG election recorded 63% voting, while the polling this year was down to 55.92% which is a bad sign of low turnout in posh areas of the city.

Last time Congress was in the power but it did not contest on party symbol and later, all independent candidates lent support to it.

“There has been foul play in counting for wards 4, 6, and 34. We will meet the deputy commissioner to demand fair recounting,” said Capt (retd) Ajay Singh Yadav, senior Congress leader.

Soon after the results were announced, Haryana PWD minister and MLA from Badshahpur, Rao Narbir Singh said all independent candidates are BJP workers.

“BJP will have its Mayor and all winning independent candidates are BJP workers who could not get party ticket,” said Narbir.

Ashok Tanwar, state Congress president, said, “BJP fielded its candidates in all 35 wards and lost 22 seats, which is a clear sign that voters have rejected it. What else does one need to prove to the state that the BJP is fooling the people?”

BJP won only five seats from wards 19 to 35, representing posh areas of new Gurgaon including DLF, Sushant Lok, South City, Ardee City.

Read I MCG elections Gurgaon: Senior citizens, women exercise franchise; urban voters refrain from polling

“This is loss for BJP in my opinion. I feel people are aggrieved with the BJP. I am sure Gurgaon residents are unhappy with civic development, as nothing happened in the last five years,” Sube Singh, former sapranch of Wazirabad, said.

The victorious candidates said they contested on local issues and would work for development of the city. The newly elected councillors said their aim is to improve civic amenities in their respective wards and thanked the voters for showing faith in them.