'Thank You SC', Says Arvind Kejriwal After Major Victory In Chandigarh Election

A Supreme Court order awarding victory to the AAP's Kuldeep Kumar in last month's Chandigarh mayoral poll has been welcomed by Arvind Kejriwal.

Additionally, a key first win for the INDIA bloc, formed last year to defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha election but has faced multiple crises since, was hailed by him.

Photo Credit: PTI

Here's What Kejriwal Said After Major Victory in Chandigarh

Rivals Bharatiya Janata Party were criticized by the Aam Aadmi Party boss, accusing them of "dictatorship" and attempting to steal the election. Ahead of the April/May election, in which over 90 crore Indians are eligible to vote for a new government, a dire warning was issued by the Delhi Chief Minister.

"The way the ballot papers were brought to the court and the results declared by the Supreme Court... I think this is the first time since independence that this has happened. We thank the Supreme Court... there is a dictatorship (in India) and institutions are being crushed. This judgement matters."

Kejriwal informed reporters that the election, which saw the BJP initially declared as winner but later overturned, was indeed a big win for INDIA. He congratulated all INDIA partners and emphasized that the victory was also for the people of Chandigarh.

Highlighting the contentious nature of the election, Kejriwal stated that the BJP had allegedly stolen eight votes, constituting 25 per cent of the total. He warned about the implications for future elections, especially the upcoming one with over 90 crore votes at stake, emphasizing the potential scale of manipulation.

Previously, the BJP's Manoj Sonkar was declared the winner of the January 31 election, despite the controversy surrounding the invalidation of eight votes, all cast for the AAP candidate, by Returning Officer Anil Masih.

The Supreme Court's historic decision to announce the election results within the courtroom itself marked a significant departure from the usual counting centre procedure. Additionally, the court took unprecedented action by initiating contempt of court proceedings against Masih, who was cautioned of prosecution for possible falsehoods.

Kejriwal attributed Masih's alleged actions to ill-fortune, citing the presence of CCTV cameras which recorded the entire process. He reiterated accusations of widespread vote theft by the BJP, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

Big Win For AAP, And INDIA Bloc

• The victory achieved by AAP, along with the INDIA bloc, provides a much-needed boost to the coalition's morale.
• The grouping has faced significant challenges and was teetering on the brink of collapse within a year of its formation.
• One major obstacle has been securing seat-sharing agreements ahead of the general election, with setbacks experienced in negotiations with parties like the Trinamool Congress, AAP, and the Samajwadi Party.
• Notably, key figures like Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) have withdrawn support and aligned with the BJP, while the Rashtriya Lok Dal, led by Jayant Chaudhary, has also reportedly shifted allegiance.
• Despite these challenges, the AAP-Congress alliance for the Chandigarh poll marked a breakthrough in the coalition's efforts.
• Initially perceived as a setback, the election outcome has added strain to the coalition and raised questions about the future of INDIA and AAP-Congress ties.
• However, the victory in the Chandigarh poll may improve the perception of the alliance, although the extent of its impact remains uncertain and will likely become clearer after further rounds of seat-sharing discussions between the two parties.