As the Supreme Court ordered AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar to be declared as the validly elected candidate for the post of Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Kumar hailed the verdict as the victory of Chandigarh's people as well as the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. The SC order has overturned the earlier result where a BJP candidate had emerged victorious.


"This is the victory of truth. Democracy has been kept alive. I am very thankful for that...I thank all the leaders and the INDIA Alliance that voted for me. BJP will be exposed just like they were exposed here and they will face defeat everywhere...," expressed Kumar speaking to news agency ANI.


Councillors Who Joined BJP 'Led Astray': AAP's Kuldeep Kumar


He also commented on the recent defection of three AAP councillors to the BJP, stating, "I hope they will come back. Maybe they went there after being led astray. But they were true soldiers of the party. Maybe they will come back."






Speaking to news agency PTI, he remarked, "I would like to thank the Supreme Court. This is a win for the people of Chandigarh and the INDIA alliance. This shows that the BJP is not unbeatable and we can defeat them if we stay united."






The court's decision came after it found serious faults in the conduct of the January 30 election, particularly in the counting process, leading to the invalidation of eight votes cast in Kumar's favour. The returning officer for the poll, Anil Masih, who is also a BJP leader, faces prosecution for his misdemeanour.


Kumar's sentiments were echoed in his statement following the court's decision, where he thanked the Supreme Court and emphasised the win as not just his own but as a victory for the people of Chandigarh and the INDIA alliance. "This shows that the BJP is not unbeatable and we can defeat them if we stay united," he added.


The BJP had initially emerged victorious in the mayoral poll, with Manoj Sonkar securing the mayor's post after polling 16 votes against Kumar's 12. However, Sonkar subsequently resigned, and the invalidated votes, along with the Supreme Court's intervention, led to a reversal of the outcome in favour of Kumar.


Subscribe And Follow ABP Live On Telegram: https://t.me/officialabplive