Campaigning for the municipal corporation elections has intensified in the city with candidates holding corner meetings and conducting door-to-door visits to establish contact with the voters. As many as 219 candidates are trying their luck in 50 wards.Campaigning for the municipal corporation elections has intensified in the city with candidates holding corner meetings and conducting door-to-door visits to establish contact with the voters. As many as 219 candidates are trying their luck in 50 wards. (Representational image)Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress are contesting all seats whereas the BJP has fielded its candidates in 47 wards and the SAD in 37 wards. A number of disgruntled candidates had filed their nominations as Independents after being denied tickets by their parties but most of them pulled out, much to the relief of the contestants. On the last day of withdrawal of forms, 65 candidates withdrew their names.Incumbent mayor Surinder Kumar and senior deputy mayor Parveen Saini are again in the fray while the AAP cancelled the ticket of deputy mayor Ranjita Chowdhary who is now contesting as an Independent. Local MLA Brah Shankar Jimpa’s brother Rajeshwar Dyal Babbi and jails minister Ravjot Singh’s PA Pardeep Saini have also been awarded tickets by the AAP.In the previous elections, Congress had made a clean sweep by winning 41 seats but when AAP came into power, 27 of them left the Congress and joined AAP.Of the 50 wards, 19 are reserved for general women, six for Scheduled Caste and two for Backward Class candidates.Campaigning has peaked in the last couple of days but due to scorching heat, candidates are avoiding afternoon canvassing. In place of large gathering parties are preferring informal gatherings and door-to-door interaction with the voters.