Chandigarh Mayoral Elections: BJP Faces Tough Contest from AAP-Congress Alliance
In a highly anticipated showdown, the mayoral elections in Chandigarh today are set to witness a fierce battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and an alliance formed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress. Not only does this contest mark the first clash between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the INDIA bloc ahead of the general elections, but it also follows Nitish Kumar’s sensational political switch. The election has garnered significant attention, leading to an extensive police deployment of around 800 personnel and additional paramilitary forces to ensure security.
Originally scheduled for January 18, the mayoral polls were postponed until February 6 due to the illness of the presiding officer, Anil Masih. The decision to defer was also influenced by concerns over the prevailing law-and-order situation. However, the move faced protests from Congress and AAP councillors, resulting in the reappointment of Masih as the presiding authority, despite his apparent health issues.
The Chandigarh Press Club has also appealed to the Centre to permit media coverage of the voting process, although journalists were initially denied access.
With a total of 35 seats in the Municipal Corporation House, the AAP-Congress alliance currently holds 20 votes, posing a formidable challenge to the BJP’s 15 votes, which includes 14 councillors and an additional vote from MP Kirron Kher. In order to secure victory, the magic number for any candidate is 19.
VIDEO | Chandigarh Mayoral Elections 2024: "The writ petition for conducting the elections as soon as possible has been allowed, and the order to postpone the election to February 6 has been set aside. The (Chandigarh) High Court has ordered that the election be held on January… pic.twitter.com/NDVnwkWXAL
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 24, 2024
Notably, the election process has faced legal hurdles, as the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in its January 24 order, directed the Chandigarh administration to conduct the mayoral polls today, overturning the earlier postponement which was deemed “unreasonable, unjustified, and arbitrary.” The court emphasized the importance of free and fair elections, prohibiting councillors from being accompanied by supporters or security personnel from other states.
In the lead-up to the polling day, all parties involved have taken a cautious approach, keeping their councillors active and moving.
Strategically, the AAP-Congress alliance has nominated candidates for various positions. Kuldeep Kumar, representing the AAP, is vying for the mayoral post, while the Congress has put forth candidates for the positions of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.
The AAP-Congress alliance seeks to end the BJP’s eight-year rule in Chandigarh, with hopes of securing victory in this significant election.
Voting is scheduled to commence at 10 am, and the election process for the mayor’s position will be conducted through a secret ballot. This year, the mayor’s seat is reserved for the Scheduled Caste category, with Manoj Sonkar representing the BJP and Kuldeep Kumar from the AAP as the contenders. Additionally, the senior deputy mayor post will see Kuljeet Sandhu of the BJP competing against Congress’s Gurpreet Singh Gabi, while the deputy mayor position will be contested between Rajinder Sharma of the BJP and Nirmala Devi from the Congress.
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