Security personnel stand guard near the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation ahead of mayoral polls, in Chandigarh, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The Chandigarh mayoral polls could not be held on Thursday and deferred till further orders after the presiding officer "fell sick", prompting the AAP and Congress to accuse the BJP of not allowing the election in the wake of its "imminent defeat".
Congress and AAP leaders said the councillors received a message on an official WhatsApp group about the ill health of Anil Masih, the presiding officer, and they should not proceed to municipal corporation for the voting, triggering protests and the alliance planning to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Both AAP and Congress had entered into an alliance for the elections for the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor and the combine was expected to win the elections. AAP is contesting for the Mayor post, while the Congress will contest the rest.
In the 35-member council, AAP (13) and Congress (7) together have 20 councillors while BJP has 14 besides ex-officio member MP Kirron Kher who has voting rights. Akali Dal has one councillor.
Senior AAP leader Raghav Chadha said they have decided to approach the High Court to ensure that the mayoral elections are held.
"The BJP is gripped by "democracy-phobia" -- a fear of democracy and free and fair elections. BJP is scared of I.N.D.I.A's triumph. With 20 out of the total 36 votes in its favour, the I.N.D.I.A alliance is poised to win the Chandigarh mayoral elections. BJP is all set to lose badly. This has given the BJP sleepless nights and forced its dirty tricks department to work overtime," Chadha posted on X.
"First, the Secretary of Elections falls sick, and now, the Presiding Officer has also fallen sick. All this to adjourn the election. This is a deliberate attempt to postpone elections, and undeniably serves as an evidence that the BJP is, without a doubt, afraid of the I.N.D.I.A alliance. BJP is like a disgruntled child who, upon being called out in gully cricket, takes away the bat and declares an end to the game. Is our democracy so weak that elections will only happen when the BJP is winning, and elections will be adjourned if the BJP is losing?" he added.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal said no next date for the poll has been given. "If the presiding officer had really fallen sick, then they should have nominated another one as the presiding officer," he said.