Who will win the Chandigarh seat? A look at a few factors that will play a key role

Considering its growing popularity in Chandigarh, AAP may create a dent in BJP votes. Though AAP had played spoilsport for the Congress in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when its candidate Gul Panag garnered over 1 lakh votes, it lost its sheen by the 2019 elections as its vote share was hardly 3.82 per cent. However, AAP returned with a bang in the recent civic elections after its first-timers defeated BJP bigwigs and it became the largest party in the House with 14 seats.

While a BJP councillor speaking on the condition of anonymity admitted that the party could not afford to take the AAP voter base in Chandigarh “lightly”, others said they were “very confident of a win”. “This is Lok Sabha polls, not civic polls, and people have to elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre,” a leader said.

* AAP’s promises of free power and water

One of the key promises that AAP has delivered in Punjab and Delhi is free electricity and water. AAP’s promise of 300 units of power and water has resonated with the ground-level worker. The working class, which is most impacted by water and electricity concerns, had voted for the AAP in the civic polls and this poll promise could dent the BJP’s votes in Chandigarh. However, a BJP leader said that “everyone is aware that this is practically not possible in the UT and the governor will turn down the proposal”.

* Infighting within the Congress may benefit BJP

Ever since the Lok Sabha ticket for Chandigarh went to Manish Tewari, Congress leader Pawan Bansal, who was also a contender for the seat, has made his displeasure known. He has stayed away from campaigning for Tewari and only made a public appearance at Priyanka Gandhi’s rally. The councillors with allegiance to Bansal have also refrained from openly supporting Tewari. “There are slight misgivings that once Tewari wins, even their councillorship will be on a shaky wicket. The entire camp continues to be upset,” a Congress leader from the Bansal camp said on condition of anonymity.

* The ‘local connect’

With sitting MP Kirron Kher facing criticism for not being in the city, both Tandon and Tewari have been playing up their local connections.