Haryana civic polls a prestige battle between Saini, Hooda

Chandigarh: General elections to seven civic bodies in Haryana have turned into a prestige battle for CM Nayab Singh Saini and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda.A close, potentially nail-biting contest is on the cards, with civic polls shaped by their own political arithmetic — a mix of party presence, local equations and the influence of area MLAs.The contests of Panchkula, Ambala and Sonipat municipal corporations will be the most awaited.Both leaders have raised the stakes, working round the clock to oversee election management along with state party chiefs, Mohan Lal Badoli of the BJP and Rao Narender Singh of the Congress. Elections are being held to the municipal council of Rewari and municipal committees in Sampla (Rohtak), Uklana (Hisar) and Dharuhera (Rewari).Panchkula and Ambala City assembly segments are represented by Congress MLAs Chandermohan and Nirmal Singh, while Sonipat City is held by BJP MLA Nikhil Madan, who switched from the Congress ahead of the assembly polls. Ambala MP Varun Chaudhary and Sonipat MP Satpal Brahmchari of the Congress are both seen as loyalists of Hooda.The remaining civic bodies fall within BJP-held assembly segments, prompting the party's state and central leadership to closely monitor the polls as it seeks to maintain its winning momentum. "BJP takes every election seriously, from panchayat to Parliament, with full preparation. The same approach is being followed here under Saini and Badoli. Our 12-year track record speaks for itself," said Arvind Saini, BJP co-media in charge.Saini led the BJP in the 2024 assembly elections, while Hooda spearheaded the Congress campaign. This was followed by closely contested Rajya Sabha elections, where Congress secured a narrow win despite cross-voting and cancellation of four votes.The Congress, however, maintains that civic polls hinge on local issues. "People are aware of the BJP's failures over the past 12 years. Corruption, fund misappropriation, and delays in holding elections to key civic posts remain major concerns. We already hold Panchkula and Ambala, and have fielded strong candidates in Sonipat. We are confident of a clean sweep," Hooda said.