BJP-SAD win shot in the arm for Centre; alliance sweeps Chandigarh civic polls
New Delhi: The massive victory of the BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal combine in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation elections has come as a shot in the arm both for the saffron party and the Centre, particularly as it comes close on the heels of the hugely contentious demonetisation move.
The results of the largely urban dominated city may now well be viewed as an endorsement of the demonetisation drive and the BJP is likely to make political capital out of it in the days ahead, though the sweeping victory was primarily due to a combination of a host of issues, many of them local.
According to local political observers, one of the main reason for the BJP-SAD coalition winning 21 of the 26 municipal wards is that Chandigarh being a Union Territory is primarily governed by the Centre and comes directly under the administrative control of the Union home ministry.
There was a view among the electorate that with the BJP being in power at the Centre and the local MP, Kirron Kher, also from the same party, there could be better co-ordination with the local civic agency if the same party is voted to power.
“With the Centre deciding on the budget of the MC and other issues like appointing the UT administrator, perhaps people felt that local problems could be addressed better if the BJP was voted to power,’’ said Trilochan Singh, a former lecturer of political science at Punjab University.
According to Mr Singh, the demonetisation was not a “major issue” during the MC elections since Chandigarh does not have a sizeable agricultural or industrial work force.
“Though locals in Chandigarh are facing problems due to the demonetisation, the party failed to convert it into a major electoral issue and it worked in favour of the BJP,’’ Mr Singh added.
Sources in the Chandigarh administration say at least three days before the civic polls, a large amount of new currency notes were pumped into the city’s ATMs, which diluted the impact of the demonetisation drive.
BJP chief Amit Shah described the win in the Chandigarh MC polls as the people’s “stamp of approval” for the demonetisation. He said the victory in elections in different parts of the country following the decision shows popular mood and should serve as a lesson to the Opposition parties.
Encouraged by the major victory Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal described it as a “trailer”, and said the complete film would emerge after the “spectacular victory” during the coming Assembly elections. “This result would prove as a trendsetter for ensuring back to back victory of the alliance for the third consecutive term in the state,’’ Mr Badal said.
