Dehradun: The Congress party, which is facing tough challenges to revive its old bases in the hill state, is trying to develop an anti-incumbency factor as its political tool against the ruling BJP in the Urban Local Bodies’ (ULB) elections in the state. The party has started identifying local issues in the areas of different local bodies to corner the BJP in the ULB elections. The party is also trying to woo urban voters to expand its base.
The party is mainly focussing on the 11 municipal corporations to achieve a bigger political target in future. The party is working on its strategies to bag a maximum number of seats, including mayors and ward councillors, in the 11 municipal corporations. Since 2017 assembly polls, the Congress is out of power.
Congress targets urban voters through ULB elections
By focusing on 11 municipal corporations, the party is trying to woo the urban voters to counter the BJP in the ULB elections. The party is looking for such local issues which may connect with the urban voters in the areas of aa municipal corporations.
Focus on 91 local bodies
Although 100 local bodies will go to polls on January 23 across the state, the Congress is dedicating its energies in 91 local bodies. The Congress has fielded its candidates in all the 11 municipal corporations, 38 Municipalities out of the total 43, and 42 Nagar Panchayats out of the total 46. The Congress has kept its eye on the strong independent candidates in such local bodies in which the party is not contesting.
Congress looks for local issues
Most of the local bodies remain under the control of the ruling BJP and thus, the Congress is left with the option of identifying the pro-people issues to fight the BJP at the ground-level in different areas of the local bodies.
Congress may highlight regularization of slum areas as a big issue
The party is also under a plan to develop the regularization of slum areas as a big political issue in the ULB elections in Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, and Nainital districts. The party will also highlight the poor condition of parks, requirement of streetlights, and BSP (Bijali, Sadak, Pani) factor in the ULB elections.
