Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls are due in third week of December.
After introducing loyalty affidavits for ticket seekers in Punjab, the Congress has made it mandatory for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls. The party has asked all ticket seekers to submit a public declaration form on stamp paper duly attested by notary.
In the affidavit, party leaders have to pledge that in case they are denied ticket as the candidate of the Congress party from any ward, then they will not contest on any seat against any Congress candidate or support any opposition candidate in any manner, directly or indirectly in the election and will fully support the official Congress candidate.
But only 120 out of 230 ticket seekers have submitted the affidavit while the rest have refused to do so.
The affidavit issue has brought factionalism within the Chandigarh Congress party unit out in the open yet again. Sources say, those who have refused to submit affidavit are AICC spokesperson Manish Tiwari loyalists who is trying to get a firm grip on the party unit by fielding candidates in the upcoming local bodies polls in Chandigarh.
Right now, the Congress has nine members in the corporation which has a strength of 26, most of whom are said to be loyal to former lawmaker Pawan Bansal. Mr Tiwari expressed his anguish over the move and tweeted "People join political parties out of conviction. Stay due to belief in philosophy & ideology not asinine loyalty oaths."
Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls are due in third week of December.