Sampla civic polls: No Congress nominee for post of chairperson, independents eye Hooda camp backing

Rohtak: The Sampla municipal committee (MC) chairperson contest has turned multi-cornered, with the Congress opting not to field a candidate even as symbols were allotted on Tuesday for the May 10 poll.The BJP has fielded Parveen Coach, who joined the party just a day before getting the ticket. In the absence of a Congress nominee, independents are vying for support from Congress leaders, including former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda.Sources said the Congress leadership has so far avoided backing any candidate openly to prevent internal rifts, though it may extend indirect support to winnable contenders.Key candidates include BJP's Parveen Coach and independents Rakesh Sarpanch, Ankit Ohlyan, Sudhir Ohlyan and Anil Sharma. Except Sharma, most independents have past links with the Congress.The campaign centres on civic issues such as sanitation, water shortage, sewerage, alleged corruption in the municipal body and property ID-related problems.Sarpanch, a former village head, alleged that despite the BJP being in power since 2024, Sampla had seen little development. He said local issues, not state or national politics, were driving voter concerns.Sharma, who had sought a BJP ticket, criticised the party's choice, calling Coach a "parachute candidate" and claiming resentment among party workers.