With no political party securing a clear majority in the Faridkot Municipal Council (MC) elections, the focus has now shifted from the ballot box to behind-the-scenes negotiations, as rival groups scramble to gather support for the election of the MC president.Political activity intensified on Wednesday, with elected councillors and party strategists engaged in a hectic round of meetings and consultations. The fractured mandate has turned all Congress (8) and SAD(B) (7) councillors potential kingmakers, making their support crucial in determining who will ultimately occupy the top municipal post. AAP has nine councillors in its kitty.Sources within political circles said various parties have already initiated informal talks with councillors across party lines in an effort to cobble together a winning combination. The developments have drawn comparisons with the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections in the district, where the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had successfully stitched together tactical alliances with members elected on Congress tickets in areas where it lacked the numbers required to elect its chairpersons. In such cases, Congress-backed members were accommodated with vice-chairperson posts and other positions in return for support.Political observers believe a similar formula could emerge in Faridkot, where arithmetic rather than ideology is likely to dictate the shape of the next governing coalition.”The verdict has produced a hung house. Every councillor matters and negotiations are inevitable. The experience of the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections has shown that local body politics often revolves around power-sharing arrangements rather than rigid party affiliations,” remarked a senior political leader in AAP.With no party enjoying a decisive advantage, closed-door meetings continued throughout the day as different camps sought to keep their councillors united while simultaneously reaching out to potential allies. Speculation is also rife about possible defections and cross-voting when the election for the president’s post is eventually held.