In the mayoral polls held on January 30, BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar with 16 votes defeated INDIA bloc candidate Kuldeep Dhalor, who got 12 votes, while eight votes were declared invalid.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann during a protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Chandigarh Mayor election issue, near the AAP office, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Photo/Ishant)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday alleged that the BJP was caught red-handed while stealing votes in the recently-held Chandigarh mayoral polls, and wondered what ‘unethical’ means it would employ to rig the upcoming general election.
In the mayoral polls held on January 30, BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar with 16 votes defeated INDIA bloc candidate Kuldeep Dhalor, who got 12 votes, while eight votes were declared invalid.
Kejriwal claimed that an employee told his party that only 13 votes of the BJP were cast, and no counting agents were present. Later, the presiding officer himself declared the BJP candidate’s win, however, to his “misfortune the entire premises had CCTV cameras”, he said. He also accused the poll officer of tampering with the votes.
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The AAP leader said he was not just highlighting his party’s loss, but also raising a valid point of not allowing any foul play during elections in a democracy.
“Democracy is not important for them, they can go to any extent to remain in power,” he said in an apparent reference to the saffron party.
The chief minister also hit out at the Centre for scuttling the peaceful protests planned by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against the foul play in the Chandigarh mayoral polls. He claimed many party supporters were stopped from coming to the national capital, while the party MLAs were detained in a bid to not let them take part in the demonstration.
“We strongly condemn such actions as this is not in line with democratic practices,” he said while urging the protestors and party workers to begin the silent march towards the BJP headquarters and told them to stop where the police ask them to and maintain peace.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on Wednesday declined INDIA bloc candidate Dhalor’s plea to restrain the newly-elected Chandigarh mayor from discharging his duties. The court, however, issued notice to the Union Territory administration to respond within three weeks.
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