Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener, Arvind Kejriwal, raised concerns about alleged "cheating" in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, asserting that such actions in local elections could escalate to more significant levels in national elections. The BJP's Manoj Sonkar emerged victorious in the mayoral election, defeating AAP's Kuldeep Kumar, who was fielded as part of an alliance with the Congress.
Following the announcement of the results, protests erupted among councillors of the INDIA bloc parties, including AAP and Congress, in Chandigarh. Kejriwal expressed his apprehensions about the blatant "cheating" witnessed during the mayoral polls, emphasizing the worrisome nature of such actions. He suggested that if such tactics could be employed in a mayoral election, they could potentially extend to more serious levels in national elections.
The polls, conducted under the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, gained significance as opposition INDIA bloc members Congress and AAP collaborated to contest the elections. Manoj Sonkar secured 16 votes, while Kuldeep Kumar received 12 votes, with eight votes declared invalid. The newly elected mayor will preside over elections for the positions of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.
As part of the alliance, AAP contested for the mayor's post, while the Congress fielded candidates for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. The alleged irregularities in the Chandigarh mayoral polls have prompted concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, particularly with a focus on upcoming national elections.
(With Agency Inputs)
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