BJP sweeps Chandigarh mayoral polls

Chandigarh: The BJP swept the Chandigarh mayoral polls on Tuesday, retaining the three top posts in a setback to the AAP and the Congress which had contested the elections as allies. Councillors from the two INDIA bloc parties created a ruckus in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation House as the result for the mayor’s post was declared, and boycotted the next phase – elections to the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar defeated the AAP’s Kuldeep Kumar for the mayor’s post, polling 16 votes against the 12 won by his rival. Eight votes were declared invalid. BJP nominees Kuljit Sandhu and Rajinder Sharma were declared elected to the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, respectively. Opposition councilors alleged there was tampering with the ballot papers at the elections, a charge rubbished by the BJP.

On social media, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal expressed “serious concern” over the “cheating” in “broad daylight”. An AAP councilor said the party will approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.