Ahead of the scheduled protest over the Chandigarh Mayor election by the Aam Aadmi Party, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kajriwal expresses his concern as elected MLAs in Delhi are being detained. The protests involving elected officials, councillors, and volunteers were aiming to demonstrate peacefully at the party office, but they have been stopped at various locations across the national capital.
People arriving to protest peacefully have been stopped at various places across Delhi. What is this going on? CM Kejriwal posted on social media.
The apprehension expressed by Kejriwal comes after the recent controversy surrounding the Chandigarh mayoral polls, which he referred to as stolen votes. The Chief Minister criticized the government’s actions, questioning why there was a need to detain elected officials and prevent a peaceful protest.
Addressing the detention of AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, Kejriwal’s party member, he questioned whether an emergency situation had arisen in the country. He expressed his disappointment that elected representatives were unable to participate in a lawful and peaceful protest.
The detention of buses filled with AAP volunteers outside the party office and heavy barricades throughout Delhi were also noted by Delhi Minister Atishi, who questioned the motive behind such measures. She criticized the BJP’s apprehension towards a protest about the Chandigarh mayor elections and the presence of paramilitary forces outside the AAP party office.
In response to the controversial mayoral polls, AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar stated that Chief Minister Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann would join the party’s protest at the BJP office in Delhi. She labeled the Chandigarh mayoral polls as unconstitutional, illegal, and immoral. Kakkar accused the BJP of engaging in electoral malpractices to secure victory.
Tensions escalated during the protests, with youth congress workers chanting slogans against corruption. The police eventually detained the protestors.
The AAP and Congress have taken their grievances regarding the Chandigarh mayoral polls to the Supreme Court. The AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar, represented by the Advocate General of Punjab Gurminder Gary, challenged the results, alleging tampering. A hearing is scheduled for February 26, giving the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation and Chandigarh Administration three weeks to respond.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Manoj Sonkar emerged as the winner of the Chandigarh mayoral polls with 16 votes, while the Congress-AAP candidate Kuldeep Tita secured 12 votes. Opposition leaders raised concerns about eight invalid votes, accusing the BJP-led central government of rigging the elections.
The detention of elected officials, volunteers, and the controversy surrounding the Chandigarh mayoral polls have fueled tensions, prompting protests and legal challenges. The Aam Aadmi Party and Congress aim to address the alleged electoral malpractices through legal means, believing that the integrity of democracy is at stake. The situation continues to develop as various parties and authorities engage in resolving the issues surrounding the Chandigarh mayoral elections.
