Sanaur silver lining for BJP

PATIALA: Contrary to BJP's performance in other towns where it was in direct contest against alliance partner SAD (Badal), the saffron party has delivered satisfactory result in Sanaur town of Patiala district on Wednesday. BJP and SAD candidates contested against each other at 10 of the 14 seats.
Sanaur witnessed a high polling turnout of 83%. By winning five seats, BJP has nearly equalized the tally of Akalis in the town who won six seats.Four seats were won by independent candidates. Besides Tarn Taran and Batala, Sanaur was the only town of Punjab where SAD and BJP candidates were contesting against each other in most of the wards. In Tarn Taran, BJP was virtually washed out of electoral contest by candidates of its alliance partner.
"We were apprehending disruption and violence on the election day in Sanour. But to our amazement, the elections were conducted peacefully. Peaceful polling has resulted in the victory of our five candidates in Sanaur," said Patiala BJP president Anil Bajaj.
Expecting disruption by Akali leaders, several senior BJP leaders had camped at Sanaur before polling and on the election day.