Chandigarh Mayor Election: On January 20, the Supreme Court proclaimed Kuldeep Kumar, the candidate of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the winner of the Chandigarh mayor’s race. Party leader Arvind Kejriwal thanked the court for “saving democracy in these difficult times.” Given the makeup of the legislature, however, it will be difficult for the AAP-Congress combination to establish a majority in the Municipal Corporation.
The Numbers
Currently, 17 of the 36 members of the local body are Councilors for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This comprises three AAP defectors who joined the party before Wednesday’s SC hearing and the fourteen votes that the saffron party secured in the polls on January 30.
The AAP-Congress coalition, which jointly participated in the Mayor election, initially secured 12 votes, as officially announced on January 30. Subsequently, eight votes that were previously deemed invalid were reconsidered, adding to the alliance’s count and bringing the total to 20 votes. This decision was confirmed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, based on the January 30 results.
However, the alliance faced a setback with three defections from the AAP ranks, resulting in a reduction of their combined votes in the House to 17.
The BJP may also count on Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher, an ex-officio member of the corporation and the only Akali Dal councilor, to support it. So, if a non-confidence resolution is presented against AAP-Congress Mayor Kuldeep Kumar in the legislature, the BJP’s 19 votes may swing against his 17.
Lack of Confidence
Furthermore, BJP councilors Kuljeet Sandhu and Rajinder Sharma secured their positions as Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor without contest, as the AAP and Congress abstained from participating in the elections due to the contentious Mayor election.
A legal expert emphasized that the Mayor would need to demonstrate majority support if the opposition initiates a no-confidence motion against him, the expert stated. Additionally, the outcome may hinge on the strategic decisions made by the AAP-Congress alliance moving forward.
Currently, leaders from both Congress and AAP are optimistic about the intervention of the Supreme Court and the potential outcomes it may yield. AAP leaders, among them Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, have hailed it as the inaugural triumph of the INDIA bloc over the BJP. – Chandigarh Mayor Election
In a press conference following the Supreme Court’s declaration of the AAP candidate as the winner of the January 30 Mayoral election, Arvind Kejriwal expressed, “We have wrested victory from their grasp. They attempted to hijack the election and manipulate the votes. However, we persevered until the end and emerged victorious. Those who claim that the BJP is unbeatable – this victory demonstrates otherwise. The BJP can indeed be defeated through unity, meticulous planning, strategic approach, and relentless effort.”
The controversy
The BJP emerged victorious in the Chandigarh mayoral election held on January 30, despite the AAP-Congress alliance candidate being in a seemingly advantageous position. This victory came after the returning officer invalidated eight votes belonging to the coalition partners, sparking a legal and political controversy.
Manoj Sonkar of the BJP emerged as the winner, defeating Kuldeep Kumar, by securing 16 votes compared to his rival’s 12, thus clinching the mayor’s post. However, following AAP’s appeal to the High Court, the matter eventually escalated to the Supreme Court. Before the Supreme Court hearing, Manoj Sonkar resigned from his position as Mayor. The Supreme Court unearthed irregularities in the vote counting process conducted on January 30, leading to the declaration of the eight previously deemed ‘invalid’ votes in favor of AAP candidate Kuldeep, ultimately resulting in his victory.
Ratnavali