Chandigarh Mayoral Polls: BJP Faces Strong Challenge from AAP-Congress Alliance Amid Tight Security

Chandigarh braces for its mayoral elections, marked by intense competition between the BJP and an AAP-Congress alliance. Amid heightened security measures, the city witnesses a crucial electoral battle.

Chandigarh is gearing up for its mayoral elections on Tuesday, January 30, with extensive security arrangements being implemented to ensure a smooth and secure voting process. The polls will witness a fierce contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and an alliance formed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.

Deployment of Security Personnel

To maintain law and order during the election, approximately 800 police personnel, including those from the paramilitary forces, will be deployed. A three-layer barricade will be set up around the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to ensure the safety of voters and election officials.

Background of the Mayoral Polls

The elections for the posts of mayor, senior deputy mayor, and deputy mayor were originally scheduled for January 18 but were postponed to February 6 due to the illness of the presiding officer. However, the Chandigarh administration later cited concerns about the law-and-order situation as the reason for the postponement.

Significance of the Polls

These mayoral polls have gained significant importance as the opposition parties, the Congress, and the AAP, have joined forces to challenge the BJP, which has held the mayor's position for the past eight years. As part of their alliance, the AAP is contesting for the mayor's post, while the Congress is fielding candidates for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

Legal Challenges and Court Order

The Chandigarh administration's decision to defer the polls sparked protests from Congress and AAP councilors. Kuldeep Kumar, the AAP's candidate for mayor, challenged the Chandigarh deputy commissioner's order to postpone the elections in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

In response, the high court issued an order on January 24, directing the Chandigarh administration to conduct the mayoral polls at 10 am on January 30. The court also quashed the administration's previous order postponing the elections, terming it "unreasonable, unjustified, and arbitrary."

Security Measures for Councilors

The high court further directed that councilors coming to cast their votes should not be accompanied by any supporters or security personnel from other states. The Chandigarh Police will be responsible for ensuring the security of the councilors during the election process.

Election Process and Contesting Parties

The elections for the three posts are held annually during the House's five-year term. In the previous two years, the Congress abstained from voting, resulting in the BJP's victory. The election of the mayor is conducted through secret ballot.

For this year's elections, the mayor's seat has been reserved for the Scheduled Caste category. The BJP has nominated Manoj Sonkar, while the AAP has fielded Kumar for the position. For the senior deputy mayor's post, the BJP's Kuljeet Sandhu will face off against the Congress' Gurpreet Singh Gabi. Rajinder Sharma of the BJP will contest against Congress candidate Nirmala Devi for the deputy mayor's position.

With the high-stakes mayoral polls set to take place on Tuesday, Chandigarh is witnessing a robust security apparatus to ensure a peaceful and orderly election process. The outcome of these polls will have significant implications for the political landscape of the city and will be closely watched by both residents and political observers.