Ambala, May 8 -- Ambala will witness a triangular contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and an opposition-backed Independent candidate for the mayor post in the municipal corporation (MC) election, which will go to polls on May 10. With four days left for the elections, leaders from both national parties are leaving no stone unturned to woo nearly 1.98 lakh Ambala voters. The polls will feature 65 candidates vying for 20 seats in the House, while three candidates are contesting the mayoral post reserved for Backward Class-B (Woman). The Ambala Lok Sabha is represented by MP Varun Chaudhary, while the Ambala City assembly is held by MLA Nirmal Singh. Both are from Congress and are putting up a tough fight against the BJP, which is facing anti-incumbency. While both parties struggle with infighting, the election has turned into a battle of prestige for former minister and two-time BJP MLA Aseem Goel and MLA Singh, also a former minister in Hooda government. Hailing from same community to electoral debuts While the BJP has fielded 32-year-old Akshita Saini, the Congress has nominated 60-year-old Kulwinder Kaur. The two share several commonalities: both hail from the same community, are making their electoral debuts, and are considered surprise picks by their respective parties. Sonia Rani is also contesting as an Independent candidate, backed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). The mayoral post was recently held by BJP's Shailja Sachdeva, who won by-election last year after the incumbent mayor, Shakti Rani Sharma, was elected as the BJP MLA for Kalka. Sharma, wife of former minister Venod Sharma, was elected mayor in December 2020 on her own Haryana Jan Chetna Party (HJCP) ticket. Her younger son, Kartikeya Sharma, was later elected as an Independent Rajya Sabha member, backed by the BJP-JJP in 2022. While Kartikeya and her mother are campaigning for the BJP, former mayor Shailja is absent from the ground. Sources said that despite being deputed by the party, she is keeping distance from the elections due to Goel's sour relations with her husband and former nominated house member Sandeep Sachdeva. Banking on triple-engine govt While the BJP is campaigning with its slogan of a triple-engine government, the Congress is seeking votes by targeting the BJP on issues like drainage, sanitation, dog bites, corruption and others. At a corner meeting at Mandour village on Naraingarh road of ward no. 2, BJP's mayor nominee Akshita promises improved infrastructure and cleaning. Speaking with HT, Akshita said, "Recently, development works were carried out to improve the drainage problem. Now, IIT Roorkee is chalking out a plan for a permanent solution." BJP's Goel accused the Ambala MP and Ambala City MLA of being absent from the city. "Earlier, the MP used to stay in Ambala, but now he has shifted to Panchkula. Similarly, the MLA remains inaccessible to the residents for their complaints. Even if they meet him, he shows his inability to resolve the plaints, saying they are not in power. So why will you vote for a party for the third time, which cannot get your work done?" he said. However, Congress alleges that despite the BJP being in power since 2014, it failed to improve the basic conditions in the town. Addressing a corner meeting in Kanwala village under ward number 20, Kulwinder Kaur said that she won on the day the BJP announced its mayor candidate. "The party now had to call the chief minister to save its sinking ship. I'm sure the people will trust the Congress this time and end the misrule of the BJP forever from Ambala," she said. MP Varun alleged corruption in the MC. "People are harassed in the name of NDCs, certificates, taxes. I've a huge constituency covering Panchkula, Ambala and parts of Yamunanagar and I'm always available for my people. Big guns out for high-stakes civic showdown The entry of chief minister Saini, state president Mohanlal Badoli, Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and party's state in-charge BK Hariprasad; Congress state president Rao Narender, Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda - makes the battle high-stakes for both the national parties. Yet, voters on the ground are focusing on tangible local issues. "Despite living in a high-end sector, our streets flood after just 10 minutes of rain," says Sector 9 resident Deepak Kakkar. "Potholes go unattended for months, and no one is held accountable," he added. Similarly, Abhishek Sharma from Durga Nagar said, "No matter who comes, corruption cannot stop at the corporation. Once you visit the MC office, none of the employees are helpful. I think the voters will look for a third alternative, like we have seen in 2020."...