Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted on Monday that the resignation of BJP leader Manoj Sonkar as Chandigarh mayor indicates the use of "unfair means" by the BJP during the elections.
Speaking to the media outside the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal said, "If the mayor has resigned, then it is evident that something is suspicious. It clearly shows that they won the elections by unfair means," as reported by news agency PTI.
He further alleged that such practices are not limited to Chandigarh, accusing the BJP of influencing elections through various methods, including the acquisition of leaders from winning parties.
Sonkar's resignation from the position of Chandigarh mayor was accompanied by three AAP councillors—Neha, Poonam, and Gurcharan Kala—joining the BJP on Sunday. Responding to these developments, BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde claimed that the councillors joined the BJP voluntarily and accused AAP of making unfulfilled promises to them.
The shift of three AAP councillors to the BJP has altered the balance in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Before their defection, the BJP had 14 councillors, and AAP had 13 out of the 35-member council.
Tawde further alleged that Kejriwal's actions led to discord within the AAP and Congress alliance in Chandigarh, providing a reason for the councillors' defection. "Kejriwal broke the alliance between AAP and Congress, and after this, the perspective of the leaders changed in his party," he claimed, as reported by PTI.
In response, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) condemned the BJP for allegedly employing threats and "unfair tactics" to lure their councillors. AAP president in Chandigarh, Sunny Ahluwalia, accused the BJP of using questionable methods and claimed that the councillors, who were protesting against the BJP until recently, were coerced into joining the saffron party.
"They're known for such tactics. These councillors, who were sitting in protest against them only a few days ago, were threatened, and they used unfair tactics to force them to join their party. It was all part of a series of events (related to the mayoral elections) in which everyone witnessed how democracy was destroyed. It was part of their 'Operation Lotus'," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Echoing similar sentiments, AAP national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar told PTI, "This clearly shows that people do not like the BJP, and the BJP wants to somehow remain in power. First, they stole votes, now we are seeing 'Operation Lotus'".
The Congress, which had a joint alliance with AAP in the recent mayoral polls, also criticised the BJP, asserting that the entire episode exposed the party before the public. Chandigarh Congress president H S Lucky alleged that the BJP engaged in deceitful politics and attempted to manipulate the polls.
"Everyone saw what they did. Everyone watched the video of how the presiding officer declared eight votes invalid for mayor's post," Lucky said, according to PTI. Regarding the potential continuation of the AAP-Congress alliance, both parties indicated that they would strategise after the Supreme Court hears the matter, PTI reported.
Currently, AAP has 10 councillors, Congress has seven, and the Shiromani Akali Dal has one in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
The controversy surrounding the mayoral polls in Chandigarh had earlier led to allegations of ballot tampering, with the BJP securing victory. The AAP's plea for fresh mayoral polls is currently pending in the Supreme Court, which had earlier criticized the returning officer for defacing ballot papers. The court ordered the preservation of ballots and video recordings of poll proceedings, with the next hearing scheduled for February 19.