7,623 in fray for Punjab civic body polls, but contest hit by claims of bias in Barnala

Bathinda: The May 26 elections to 105 urban local bodies in Punjab will see 7,623 candidates in the fray, but the contest has been overshadowed by opposition's allegations of arbitrary rejection of nomination papers.The controversy intensified in Barnala on Wednesday, where the town's three main markets — Sadar Bazar, Pharwahi Bazar, and Handiaya Bazar—remained shut till early afternoon in protest against rejection of BJP candidate Rajni Rani's nomination papers from Ward 31 of Barnala municipal corporation.Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders held a sit-in near Barnala railway station and later marched through the markets, accusing the serving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of influencing rejection of opposition candidates' papers.Congress MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhillon joined BJP and SAD leaders in the protest. "There should be no room for such highhandedness in democracy," he said.Apart from Dhillon, BJP district president Yadwinder Shunty, SAD Barnala in-charge Kulwant Singh, former municipal council president Sanjiv Shorey, rebel AAP leader Gurdeep Baath and Rajni Rani's husband Joginder Pal participated in the protest.Following rejection of Rajni Rani's papers and withdrawal of another independent candidate, AAP candidate Tamanna Jindal was declared elected unopposed.Barnala deputy commissioner Harpreet Singh maintained the papers were rejected "on merit", while AAP MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer denied allegations of political interference.According to the state election commission (SEC), 79 candidates have already been elected unopposed. Of them, four were from municipal corporations, 47 from municipal councils and 28 from nagar panchayats.After withdrawal of nominations, 1,613 candidates remain in the race for eight municipal corporations, 5,144 for 76 municipal councils and 866 for 21 nagar panchayats.Earlier, nomination papers of 713 candidates were rejected during scrutiny on May 18. Counting of votes will take place on May 29. A total of 2,393 candidates withdrew their nomination papers after scrutiny, including 386 from municipal corporations, 1,695 from municipal councils and 312 from nagar panchayats. (With inputs from Chandigarh)