BJP wins Sirsa MC elections

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 25

The BJP candidates today emerged victorious in 15 out of 30 wards in Sirsa Municipal Council elections. While, the Haryana Lokhit Party won 6 seats, Cong – 5, Independents – 3, the INLD was reduced to only 2 seats.

Prominent among the winners was Vaishali Ratusaria, wife of BJP’s district secretary Pradeep Ratusaria. She is touted as the possible choice for the post of MC chief. Krishna Phogat, district president of the women’s wing of the INLD and member of the Municipal Council for the past two consecutive terms, is among the prominent losers.

Similarly, two family members of Lila Dhar Saini, former vice president of the MC, also lost the election.

Over 70 per cent voters had casted their vote in the polling held today.

It is for the first time that the BJP has won as many seats in Sirsa MC election. The results are also being seen as a setback for the INLD as the party enjoyed majority in the outgoing house.

Though the party won Sirsa assembly seat once in 1967 and then again in 1996 in coalition with Bansi Lal’s Haryana Vikas Party, the district has witnessed contests between the INLD and the Congress.