Stating this at a press conference here today, Bansal said that with Dhawan by his side this time, there was no way the BJP candidate, Krishan Lal Sharma, who is considered an "outsider", could defeat him.

Bansal said Dhawan's entry into the Congress and his support had changed the political scenario in the city, in favour of the Congress. Claiming to be a native of Chandigarh, Bansal termed Sharma as an "outsider", and added that it took a long time for him to come out of the stigma of being an "outsider", when he was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. He alleged that Sharma could not even name the villages in the Union Territory.

Reiterating that maintaining of UT status for Chandigarh was his foremost aim, Bansal said never before had there been a threat to it, as he charged BJP of being non-committal on the issue. Bansal said Chandigarh was a "unique city and a symbol of national integration" and thus "I am in favour of maintaining status quo on it." While criticising the BJP for imposition of taxes through the BJP-run Municipal Corporation, the Congress nominee favoured proper upkeep of the city, proper sanitation and good roads.

He charged the BJP of not getting adequate funds for the UT during the past few annual plan outlays, which resulted in loss of funds to the tune of Rs 30 crore. Urging the secular forces to unite and vote the Congress to power, Bansal said the local units of Communist Party of India and the Janata Party had supported the Congress in Chandigarh.

Bansal also supported amendment in building byelaws while maintaining the basic plan of the city, simplification of the leasehold conversion system, better treatment of MC employees on deputation and allotment of more land to societies. He added that the lal dora should be abolished completely, called for more allocation of funds for education and urged the Administration to induct more people in the UT cadre. He also assured to take up the issue of helmets for women in case he won.

Meanwhile, former union minister Selja, who is the Congress observer , while claiming that there was no factionalism in the local Congress, lamented the burning of Bansal's effigy by some disgruntled elements. Ans said she was looking into complaints of dissidence.