Aam Aadmi Party Plans Protest Over Alleged Cheating In Chandigarh Mayoral Polls: Kejriwal & Mann To Participate
The AAP-Congress alliance alleged foul play, specifically accusing the presiding officer of tampering with the ballot papers.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to stage a protest outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in Delhi on February 2, alleging cheating in the recently concluded Chandigarh mayoral polls. According to party sources, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will actively participate in the protest.
The decision to protest comes on the same day Kejriwal received a fresh summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to an excise policy.
In the Chandigarh mayoral polls held on Tuesday, the BJP secured a significant victory, dealing a setback to the Congress and the AAP – both allies in the opposition INDIA bloc. BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar emerged victorious in the mayoral race, defeating AAP's Kuldeep Kumar with 16 votes against 12. Notably, eight votes were declared invalid.
The AAP-Congress alliance alleged foul play, specifically accusing the presiding officer of tampering with the ballot papers. Chaos ensued in the House as opposition councillors protested vehemently following the announcement of the mayoral election results. In response to the alleged irregularities, the AAP and Congress decided to boycott the subsequent elections for the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor positions.
BJP nominees Kuljit Sandhu and Rajinder Sharma secured victories in the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor categories, respectively.
The opposition's claims of ballot paper tampering were strongly refuted by the BJP. The contentious outcome has fueled tensions, prompting the AAP to mobilize a protest, seeking redress for what they believe is a case of electoral malpractice.
As Delhi and Punjab leaders Kejriwal and Mann join forces in this demonstration, the political landscape remains charged with accusations and counter-accusations. The protest on February 2 is anticipated to bring attention to the alleged irregularities in the Chandigarh mayoral polls and further intensify the political discourse in the region.
