In a recent turn of events, Manoj Sonkar from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious in the Chandigarh mayoral elections held on Tuesday. The BJP also secured wins in the deputy mayoral and senior deputy mayoral polls. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress boycotted the election, alleging unfair practices, further adding to the controversy.
The mayoral election marked a significant development as the Congress and AAP, typically bitter rivals, had joined forces to contest together. This collaboration aimed to build confidence, especially in light of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s refusal to share seats with the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Sonkar secured victory with 16 votes, with the BJP amassing a total of 14 + 1 votes. The AAP and Congress, despite having 13 and seven votes each, ended up with only 12 votes after eight were declared invalid.
Opposition Allegations of Unfair Practices
Post-results, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal raised accused BJP, claiming they were conducted in an “unfair manner.” He expressed over the alleged dishonesty and emphasized the potential implications for national elections.
चंडीगढ़ मेयर चुनाव में दिन दहाड़े जिस तरह से बेईमानी की गई है, वो बेहद चिंताजनक है। यदि एक मेयर चुनाव में ये लोग इतना गिर सकते हैं तो देश के चुनाव में तो ये किसी भी हद तक जा सकते हैं। ये बेहद चिंताजनक है।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 30, 2024
Congress and AAP Accusations
Congress MP Pawan Bansal took to social media, accusing the BJP’s councillor-presiding officer of tampering with the election. He claimed that the rejection of eight votes was part of a premeditated plan to manipulate democracy. Bansal called for a thorough examination of electoral processes and criticized the conduct of the presiding officer.
The level of dishonesty witnessed in the Chandigarh mayoral election is deeply concerning. If these malpractices can occur in a local election, it raises serious questions about the integrity of our national elections. This is extremely alarming and calls for a thorough…
— Dr. Sandeep Pathak (@SandeepPathak04) January 30, 2024
The AAP and Congress had previously protested and approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the deferred elections, leading to the court directing the Chandigarh administration to conduct the elections on January 30.
BJP Claims Victory Amid Controversy
Despite the opposition’s allegations, the BJP celebrated its victory, marking the first win over the INDI bloc. BJP National President JP Nadda congratulated the Chandigarh unit and emphasized the party’s successful track record under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Congratulations to @BJP4Chandigarh Unit for winning the Mayor election. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji, UTs have witnessed record development. That the INDI Alliance fought their first electoral battle and still lost to BJP shows that neither their…
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) January 30, 2024
The INDI bloc, in response, demanded the sealing of election result records and an immediate hearing. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court deferred the hearing to the next day.
AAP and Congress Seek Legal Redress
In a joint press conference, senior Congress leader Pawan Bansal and AAP MP Raghav Chadha labeled the election as not just unconstitutional but as an act of ‘rashtradroh’ or treason. Chadha accused the BJP and vent out his anger of rigging the elections.
#WATCH | On Chandigarh mayor election, AAP MP Raghav Chadha says, "…Whatever we saw during the Chandigarh mayor election that is not only unconstitutional but was treason…The illegality that we saw in the Chandigarh mayor election can only be called treason…" pic.twitter.com/WrSCETWDCk
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2024
Both parties have moved the High Court, urging the declaration of the elections as invalid and the conduct of fresh, fair polls with a retired judge as the presiding officer. They also demand an inquiry into the actions of the presiding officer, seeking legal consequences.
The controversy surrounding the Chandigarh mayoral election is expected to continue as the legal battle unfolds.
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