Chandigarh Mayor Row: AAP-Cong Stage Protest, Demand Cancellation of Election

The police detained several Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers when they staged a protest in Chandigarh alleging 'rigging' of the mayoral election by the BJP. The protesters demanded the arrest of Presiding Officer Anil Masih and vowed to continue their demonstrations at the municipal corporation until their demands were met. The BJP was declared as winning the poll by securing 16 votes while AAP-Congress combine got 12 votes.

Chandigarh : The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers staged a protest here today, demanding the cancellation of the Chandigarh mayoral election and accusing the BJP of 'murdering democracy'. The agitators raised slogans and held a massive demonstration near the police station in Sector 17. They directed their ire at the Chandigarh BJP unit leaders and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The police stepped up security measures. The agitating AAP and Congress workers were stopped at the barricades before reaching the police station. They angry workers climbed the barricades and tried to break them. They demanded the arrest of mayoral election's Presiding Officer Anil Masih. The activists accused the presiding officer of having rigged the mayor election, in which eight votes were declared invalid. The BJP was declared as winning the poll by securing 16 votes while AAP-Congress combine got 12 votes.

Detained: Shortly after the demonstration, the police detained the protesters and forcibly took them in a bus to the police station. The protesting Youth Congress leaders called it bullying on the part of the BJP. They said that the BJP had killed democracy and doing hooliganism openly, which should be countered strongly.

On this occasion, Youth Congress Unit President Manoj Lubhane, Women Congress Unit President Deepa Dubey and workers were also present. They said that the mayoral election was rigged is in front of everyone and the presiding officer has flouted all the rules. They demanded that the mayor's election should be cancelled and an FIR should be registered. They said they will not leave the municipal corporation office premises and continue their protests until their demands were conceded.

Aam Aadmi Party councillor Premalata has termed the entire election process as wrong. The councillor said that the whole election process has been carried out as per a plan. The election process has been video-graphed and the BJP's game plan will be exposed in the court, the Congress leader said. The protesters also raised slogans against MP Kiran Kher.

Read More