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Eight votes, which were declared invalid in the Chandigarh Mayoral polls have led Opposition leaders to raise allegations of rigging, Congress and AAP attacked the BJP-led central government over the issue.
Congress on Tuesday alleged that the BJP 'resorted to hijacking' the polls. The BJP's Manoj Sonkar was declared the Mayor of Chandigarh on Tuesday after he won the mayoral polls with 16 votes against the 12 votes bagged by the Congress-AAP candidate Kuldeep Tita. Eight votes were declared null and void. Congress' General Secretary of Communication Jairam Ramesh in a post on X alleged that the BJP first 'attempted to delay' the Chandigarh Mayoral Elections, 'anticipating defeat' upon the formalisation of the alliance of INDIA parties in the elections. "Anticipating defeat upon the formalisation of the alliance of INDIA parties in Chandigarh, the BJP first attempted to delay the Chandigarh Mayoral Elections. After being forced to conduct the polls by the High Court's intervention, the BJP resorted to hijacking the polls," Jairam Ramesh said. The Congress MP further said that the BJP has done 'injustic' to the court and the people. "The foul play by the BJP in today's Chandigarh Mayoral Election is yet another example of their arrogance, their absolute disregard for Constitutional propriety, and their disdain for democratic processes. We will take the fight against BJP's Anyay to the Courts and to the people. We will fight for NYAY for Chandigarh!" he said. The polling process was held in the presence of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh. Voting, which was scheduled to start at 10 am, began after almost an hour's delay as the deputy commissioner and some BJP councillors arrived late. The polls are considered significant as it is the maiden electoral test of the Opposition's INDIA alliance against the BJP and also saw the first alliance between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress. (ANI)
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