Setback for AAP as 3 councillors join BJP in Chandigarh

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Feb 19, 2024: Three Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillors in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation joined the BJP on Sunday, providing a significant advantage to the saffron party ahead of the possible re-election for the Mayor’s post.

 

The councillors, Poonam Devi, Neha Musavat, and Gurcharan Kala, joined the BJP in the presence of party National General Secretary Vinod Tawde in Delhi today. This development came on the same day the newly elected Mayor, Manoj Sonkar, resigned from the post following allegations of poll rigging and malpractices.

Commenting on the switching, Neha Musawat said, "AAP made false promises to us. Today, after being inspired by the works of PM Modi, I have joined the BJP...". Poonam Devi also stated that she, "joined BJP after getting inspired from the works done by PM Modi" She called AAP a "fake party".

When fresh polls are held, the BJP is likely to reach the majority mark of 19 in the civic body with the support of 17 of its own councillors, one from the Akali Dal, and one vote from ex-officio member and Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher.

The AAP, which had 13 members, now has 10 representatives, and Congress has 7 in the 35-member House.

The AAP and Congress had fielded a joint candidate under the opposition alliance INDIA bloc for the mayoral polls held on January 30.

The BJP candidate, Manoj Sonkar, was declared the winner in the highly contested election after 8 votes for the opposition alliance candidate, Kuldeep Singh, were declared invalid. Congress and AAP contested the election result and filed a petition with the Supreme Court. The opposition alliance also alleged that the returning officer had manipulated the ballots and even released CCTV footage allegedly showing him tampering with the ballots.

As the matter is set to come up for hearing before the top court on Monday, Sonkar submitted his resignation from the Mayor’s post on Saturday.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had criticised the returning officer who conducted the mayoral polls, observing that it was obvious that he had defaced the ballot papers and that he should be prosecuted, adding that his actions amounted to "murder and mockery" of democracy.

Courtesy: India Today