Zirakpur, May 23 -- Zirakpur was upgraded to a municipalcouncil (MC) in 2006, following a real estate boom driven by its strategic proximity toChandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula. However, while it has evolved into a bustling regional hub, its civic infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the population boom. As the city heads to the polls on May 26, it is this persistent civic dissatisfaction-rather than party manifestos-that is driving the narrative. Residents across themunicipality express anger that basic services remain unreliable despite the urban expansion. "Zirakpur is grappling with civic issues that need urgent attention," says Gurpreet Singh Virk, a local hotelier andresident. "The service roads and inner road network are in a deplorable condition;councillors must prioritise their repair. There is a strong need to expedite the Tribune flyover project to ease congestion for Chandigarh commuters. At the same time, Metro connectivity has become essential with the rapid expansion in Zirakpur, Dera Bassi, and the Zirakpur-Patiala highway," he says. Power infrastructure remains another flashpoint for voters. Reeta Tiwari, a resident of Sharma Estate in Lohgarh, voices her frustration overprolonged weekend outages. "Weekends are when families expect to spend time together, but on Saturday there was a power cut from 10am to 6pm, followed by another outage from 10am to 2pm on Sunday. Such prolonged cuts are unreasonable in this weather," she says. Another resident, speaking on the condition of anonymity, adds: "Electricity, roads, sewerage, and waterlogging continue to be the key issues. Residents continue to struggle for essential services despite regularly paying taxes." Basic urban planning is also visibly missing in areas like the Telephone Exchange Colony. Renu, 38, a private teacher, highlighted that there is no park for children, forcing them to play in traffic-heavy streets. She urged the administration to utilise a large vacant plot in the locality for a park, noting that unkept vacant plots are currently turning into foul-smelling garbage dumps that increase the risk of disease. Besides poor road conditions, recurring waterlogging, and uncleaned road gullies round out the long list of resident grievances. This undercurrent of civic resentment has intensified the political stakes, turning the election into a volatile contest. Following the completion of the nomination withdrawal, 124 candidates remain in the fray for 31 wards after 88 aspirants pulled out-many of whom were covering candidates stepping aside for principal contenders. The electoral calculus has been thoroughly upended across key battlegrounds, nowhere more so than in Ward number 31. In a stunning turn of events, the nomination papers of two Congress candidates were rejected, leaving the party entirely out of the race. The ward will now witness a direct, two-cornered showdown between Aam Aadmi Party's Gurpreet Singh Virk of ShivColony, Baltana, and Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) Hanumant Bahuguna of Govind Vihar,Baltana. Meanwhile, a fierce five-cornered fight is shaping up in Ward No. 27. While the BJP, AAP, Congress, and SAD have all fielded official candidates, independent candidate Gagandeep Singh threatens to completely alter the equation. A former AAP worker active in the area for years, Gagandeep entered the fray after being denied a party ticket. Banking on his grassroots connection and local groundwork, he is directly challenging his former party through intense personal outreach. In Ward No. 18, a major political jolt hit the Congress camp on the final day of withdrawals. Congress nominee Vaishali Rupal pulled out of the race to extend outright support to AAP candidate Rita Saini. The defection has reduced the contest to a triangular battle between Saini, SAD'sexperienced former councillor Parwinder Kaur, and BJP's Jyotsana Sharma. At the announcement event, Gursahej Singh Randhawa (son of MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa), along with party leaders Kamaljit Singh and Avtar Singh, put on a show of organised political strength. Rita Saini termed the development a victory for "development-focused politics and public trust." Perhaps the most compelling human-interest story of this election is unfolding in Ward No. 16, where political betrayal and personal resiliencecollide. Long-time AAP workerSimranjeet Singh, who has been with the party since 2014, revolted and chose to field an Independent campaign after accusing leadership of favouring "parachute candidates" over loyal grassroots workers. Though he had spent yearspreparing to run himself, the situation shifted when the ward was reserved for womenfollowing the official election notification. Instead of backing down, Simranjeet fielded his wife,Kirandeep Kaur, as an Independent. With Kirandeep due to deliver next month, Simranjeet has taken full charge of thegruelling daily campaign trail. "I have worked actively in this ward for years. Residents want solutions to electricity issues, damaged colony roads, and civic neglect," Simranjeet says. Beyond the political drama, he has raised sharp technical concerns regarding Lohgarh's infrastructure, noting that while local transformers are being upgraded, the aging wires are unable to bear the increased load and must be replaced with LT (low tension) lines. With door-to-door campaigning reaching its peak, established parties are relying on organisational machinery, while rebels bank on personal credibility. On May 26, Zirakpur's voters will finally decide whether party loyalty or local accountability carries the day....