Punjab: The election fever has not yet gripped the Malwa region.

Punjab: With just six days left for the district council and panchayat samiti elections on December 14, the electoral atmosphere has not yet fully gripped Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Moga, and Barnala districts. Apart from a few scattered posters and hoardings, and barring a few seats, the usual hustle and bustle of rural elections is missing. At the ground level, the AAP, being in power, appears to have a “natural advantage.” However, the SAD and Congress are also making all-out efforts to woo the voters, who seem to lack general enthusiasm. The BJP, though appearing less active, has tried to make its presence felt by filing the highest number of nomination papers, sending a signal to its national leadership that organizational work is continuing at the grassroots level. In some seats, independent candidates have also garnered support from opposition parties, making the contests even more complex. In Bathinda, an unusual scene was witnessed at the district administrative complex, where the number of SAD workers outnumbered both AAP and Congress supporters during the nomination process.
Ferozepur witnessed some tense moments when some Congress leaders staged a protest alleging obstacles in filing nomination papers. In Zira, security was beefed up and a local SHO and policemen accompanied Congress candidates to ensure smooth filing of nomination papers. In Muktsar district, PCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring recently inducted several leaders from other parties into the Congress. In Mansa, the Borawal district council seat has emerged as a keenly contested seat, with AAP leader Chuspinderbir Chahal and SAD leader Balvir Singh Biroke in the fray. In Barnala district, a brother-sister duo, Harmanpreet Singh and Jashanpreet Kaur, are contesting the panchayat samiti and district council elections respectively. SAD leader and former Malout MLA Harpreet Singh said, “The election atmosphere is now picking up. With only a few days left, all parties are putting in their best efforts. But people are fed up with the false promises of the AAP government. This could be one of the reasons behind the lack of enthusiasm among the public.” Senior CPI leader and former MLA Hardev Arshi said that public enthusiasm was low. Arshi said, “These rural institutions have become powerless. Ministers and MLAs have stripped them of their financial powers. In some places, parties even had difficulty finding candidates.”