Haryana civic polls: CM Saini campaigns for BJP candidates in Gurugram, Faridabad, Manesar

Gurugram: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday campaigned for BJP candidates in Gurugram, Faridabad and Manesar for the upcoming urban local body elections in the state.

Saini held roadshows in Gurugram and Faridabad and a rally in Manesar. He said the Congress leaders were "tweet masters" and the party did not have its ear to the ground while development was the top agenda for the BJP.

Elections for four municipal councils, 21 municipal committees and seven municipal corporations -- Faridabad, Gurugram, Manesar, Hisar, Karnal, Rohtak and Yamunanagar -- will be held on March 2. Polling for the Panipat Municipal Corporation will take place on March 9.

Saini's roadshow in Gurugram in support of BJP's mayoral candidate Rajrani Malhotra and councillor candidates for the 36 wards of the Gurugram Municipal Corporation started from Colony Mor and reached the bus stand via Sadar Bazaar.

BJP workers and supporters lined the route of the roadshow and showered flower petals on Saini. The chief minister greeted the people with folded hands and appealed to vote for the BJP on March 2.

"The BJP will have a one-sided victory in the municipal elections. The lotus will bloom in all wards of Gurugram and it will see tremendous development," Saini said during the roadshow.

In another roadshow in support of BJP's mayoral candidate for Faridabad, Praveen Joshi, Saini said Haryana is developing at a fast pace under the saffron party.

"The government is taking well-planned, meaningful steps to ensure that every citizen benefits from government schemes. He said the government is deeply committed to ensuring that the interests of the common people are never overlooked," Saini said.

The BJP scored a third consecutive victory in the Haryana Assembly polls in October last year.

Saini, however, had to face protest by Aam Aadmi Party leader Sudesh Rana who took off his shirt and waved a black flag as the chief minister's cavalcade passed by. He was detained by security personnel.

Rana's wife, Promila Rana, is contesting the urban body elections from ward number 8 of Faridabad.

During the roadshow, someone also threw a mobile phone towards Saini. However, the device hit the chief minister's car and fell on the road.

A police spokesperson said the act was not intentional as the phone slipped from the hand of one of Saini's supporters who was showering flower petals on him. The phone was seized and later handed over to its owner, police said.

Saini also held a rally in support of Sunderlal Yadav Sarpanch, the BJP's mayoral candidate for the Manesar Municipal Corporation.

"It is clear from the enthusiasm among the people that the BJP is winning these elections. Congress people are tweet masters and have no knowledge of the ground reality," he said.