Chandigarh: This is just another one-on-one combat bjp and congress for Tewari Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency during most of the elections since the city’s first council elections in 1967.
However, this time it is not simply a contest between two political parties. It also marks the end of more than ten years wait for the two major contenders- Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sanjay Tandon -and Manish Tewari of Congress.
For 58-year-old Tewari, a former Union minister and two-time legislator, this is his come-back since the last parliamentary poll in 2009. Born and raised in this city, Tewari earned his first political experience here. But congressional leaders have always had confidence on their senior leaders Pawan Kumar Bansalhe maintained a tight grip on the city’s political landscape and resisted any new entrants.
Bansal has won four out of eight elections contested including three in succession in 1999, 2004 as well as 2009. Alternatively, Karen Kyle was also brought up here.
The nomination process has been long and painful for Tandon who is from Bharatiya Janata Party at age sixty. He had been leading contender in 2014 but unexpectedly Keir was declared by party’s national leadership.
There were internal quarrels and protests but as chief of Chandigarh state BJP at that time; Tandon agreed with his party’s decision. Riding on wave of Modi popularity Khair easily won both 2014 and 2019 polls. However, there still exists frostiness if not bitterness between Tanden and Kyle while he battles health issues this time round and anti-incumbency crusade reaches its climax where after the party would finally have faith over him
Man against man battle
In Chandigarh too, like “Democracy at Risk” & “The Vikas Decade”, the overall campaign narrative, was also influenced by the personalities and backgrounds of two contestants.
Tewari’s father VN Tewari was a well-known educationist, poet and former member of Parliament. Former MP and RSS pracharak Balram Das Tandon who was among the founding members of Bharatiya Jan Sangh in 1951. His first ideological lessons were acquired at middle school level. When he took over as the party’s head for Lok Sabha campaign in 1991 it marked his first big political responsibility. Even after being ignored by BJP in Chandigarh elections, Tandon continued to work at grassroots level establishing close relations within cadre as well as with key stakeholders and interest groups all across city.
The workers from his party and residents shifted their attention to Tandon because Kher had become hostile with Chandigarh government especially during last five years. He turned out to be a link between government and common people. Immediately after Tewari became a congress candidate; Tanden lost no time in displaying his connections by labeling his rival an “outsider.” The BJP on its part refers to him as a “bhagora” i.e., fugitive because he frequently changes constituencies. “Where are you going in 2029?” This was Tanden’s rhetoric on the campaign trail.
In the year 2009, Tewari became Ludhiana MP, and in 2014 he did not contest his seat and was elected from Anandpur Sahib in Punjab in the year 2019. The surveys by Tewari on the other hand showed that he still lives in Chandigarh despite representing other constituencies; He has financed many projects through MPLAD funds and has also raised some of city related issues to the Assembly. In his defense these words echo: “He is a son of the soil; his father was killed by terrorists in Chandigarh (1984).” Also, it was through Tewari that Masih’s connections with BJP nominee were exposed after Masih was severely reprimanded for preventing Indian bloc from winning a local mayoral election held at Chandigarh as interpreted by Supreme Court. Claiming “A vote to Tandon is a vote To Maish” attacking him.
BJP loses an ally, DRC gains one
For the first time ever, Congress joined hands with AAP for fighting elections to Chandigarh. It also helped dent Congress vote share when AAP polled nearly 24% of total votes casted during 2014 general elections. Congress dropped by about twenty percent from two thousand and nine. Approximately thirteen percent of its lost vote share is regained by congress.
The BJP ended its alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal which had lasted long since this election. Akalis who have virtually no base in the constituency nominated their candidate Hardeep Singh who is a member of Chandigarh Municipal Council but he quit his party after casting his vote claiming that no leader of Akalis supported him. Afterward; joined AAP. BJP also suffered its first electoral setback in a decade during last year’s corporation elections for Chandigarh. The United Party of Australia became the largest party followed by Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress which could be beneficial to Tewari.
Changing voter base
Rehabilitation colonies and villages make up almost half of the city’s 660,000 voters, which are crucial for winning. In addition, those who dwell within the departmental grids are less likely to vote than those in rehabilitation colonies and villages. Migrants from the north Indian states Bihar and Uttar Pradesh constitute majority of colonial/rural voters. This is why infrastructure development in villages and colonies, regularization of construction outside Laldora, relief on construction violations, traffic congestion, parking issues and ownership became priority issue for this election. They agree on these issues both candidates.
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