Rohtak: With the state election commission announcing polls to urban local bodies, political activity has picked up in Sampla town, where the contest for the municipal committee chairman’s post is gathering pace.Garhi-Sampla-Kiloi — the jurisdiction covering Sampla — is the home turf of former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who has represented the seat six times.Though no party has declared candidates yet, at least seven aspirants have begun campaigning across the MC area. Among key contenders are Rakesh Pahalwan, a former sarpanch, and ex-chairmen Parvesh Coach and Sudhir Ohlyan, all reaching out to voters with development promises.Ankit Ohlyan, Manjeet Sain and Anil Sharma are seeking BJP tickets, while Parvesh Coach is eyeing a Congress nomination. Some aspirants indicated they may contest as Independents if denied party backing.Sources said BJP may conduct a survey to assess winnability before finalising its candidate, while Congress is treading cautiously on contesting on party symbol to avoid factional discontent.With over 15,000 voters, including more than 4,000 from Scheduled Castes, caste equations are likely to be crucial. The SC vote is expected to play a decisive role in what is shaping up to be a closely fought contest.
