BJP Chief JP Nadda praised the Chandigarh unit for securing the mayor’s post for the eighth consecutive year. Despite the INDIA bloc’s alliance between the Congress and AAP, BJP’s Manoj Sonkar clinched victory, defeating Kuldeep Dhalor by four votes in the closely watched Chandigarh mayor elections.
Sonkar, a 39-year-old councillor from ward 7, secured 16 votes, while Dhalor of the AAP-Congress alliance received 12 votes. Eight out of the total 36 votes were deemed invalid. Amid accusations by INDIA bloc councillors, who claimed the presiding officer marked votes during the count, they walked out of the municipal corporation House during the subsequent voting for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. Presiding officer Anil Masih was not available for comment.
The elections, mandated by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, gained significance as the opposition INDIA bloc, comprising Congress and AAP, united to challenge the BJP’s eight-year hold on the mayor’s post. In this alliance, AAP contested for the mayor’s position, while Congress fielded candidates for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.
BJP President JP Nadda took to social media to congratulate the Chandigarh unit for the victory. He highlighted the win as a testament to the BJP’s continued success, emphasizing that the INDIA Alliance’s first electoral battle resulted in defeat, showcasing the failure of both their arithmetic and chemistry.
On the other hand, Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal expressed concerns about alleged tampering by the BJP’s presiding officer, accusing them of a premeditated plan to undermine democracy. He claimed that the agent of the Congress-AAP candidate was denied the opportunity to observe ballot papers. Despite the rejection of eight votes and the declaration of the BJP candidate as the winner, Bansal criticized the process, stating that BJP members tore off the ballot papers.
In response, BJP leader Sanjay Tandon defended the election process, stating that it adhered to the high court’s orders. He pointed out that even AAP-Congress councillors refrained from voting, citing the perceived alliance as unholy.
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