BJP bags Chandigarh mayor post in first battle against INDIA bloc; AAP cries foul play, to move HC

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday bagged the post of Chandigarh mayor after its candidate Manoj Sonkar secured 16 votes out of 35 votes. The Congress and AAP mayor candidate Kuldeep Singh managed to get just 12 votes, while eight votes were declared invalid. This came as a setback for the combined AAP-Congress, which had fielded a joint candidate.  

While the BJP celebrated the victory, the AAP alleged foul play as eight votes were declared invalid. AAP MP Raghav Chadha said for the first time in the Chandigarh mayoral elections, 8 out of the 35 votes were declared invalid. He said the Congress and AAP alliance had to get 20 votes, they got 12 votes and 8 were declared invalid. "Not a single vote of the BJP was declared invalid," he said. 

AAP councillor Prellata said the AAP party will approach the High Court. "Today, the BJP has won by deceit. The ballot was snatched from my hand. Kirron Kher madam was continuously signalling. How can 8 votes be invalid?" she asked. 

BJP national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill, however, said his party's victory in the election was a victory of democracy and the defeat of the 'thugbandhan' of Congress and AAP. 

"BJP's victory is the victory of truth over lies, of the politics of service to the nation over the politics of corruption. INDI alliance's loss in the Chandigarh Mayor election is just a trailer. In 2024, INDI will get to know - kismein kitna hai dum. There is just one voice across the country - ye dil manage more, Modi sarkar once more," he said. 

AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also alleged foul play in the counting of votes. He said the kind of foul play that had been seen in the mayor election in broad daylight was a matter of concern. "If they stoop to this level in a Mayor election, they can go to any level in the general election. This is very worrying," he said in a tweet. 

Party's national president JP Nadda, however, hailed the party's victory and said: "That the INDI Alliance fought their first electoral battle and still lost to BJP shows that neither their arithmetic is working nor their chemistry."

BJP's Rajinder Kumar was elected as Deputy Mayor after AAP and Congress councillors refused to cast a vote in the election of Deputy Mayor and Senior Deputy Mayor. 

The BJP has 14 councillors in the 35-member Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, the AAP has 13 councillors and the Congress seven. The Shiromani Akali Dal has one councillor.

As part of the alliance, the AAP was contesting for the mayor's post while the Congress had fielded candidates for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.