Poll pact: AAP to fight Chandigarh Mayor’s post, Congress other 2
Sandeep Rana
Chandigarh, January 15
Finally, the city AAP and the Congress today officially joined hands for the January 18 mayoral polls with the latter withdrawing the nomination of its candidate for the post of Mayor in lieu of the other two posts.
Now, AAP councillor Kuldeep Dhalor is the alliance’s candidate for the post of Mayor. Congress councillor Jasbir Singh Bunty today withdrew his nomination for the post, which is reserved for an SC candidate this time. Congress councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi will be candidate for the post of Senior Deputy Mayor and Nirmala Devi for Deputy Mayor under the alliance. AAP’s Neha Musavat and Poonam Sandeep Kumar withdrew their nominations for these two posts.
“Today, we are going to make a new start from Chandigarh in this country’s politics,” said HS Lucky, president, city Congress, while standing alongside city AAP co-in charge SS Ahluwalia and councillors of both parties after withdrawing nominations. However, so far there is no final word on who will contest the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat under the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
‘A new start from UT’
Today, we are going to make a new start from Chandigarh in this country’s politics. — HS Lucky, President, city Congress
‘Discontentment among Oppn’
There is discontentment among councillors who have been made to withdraw their nominations. They will certainly vote for us during secret ballot polling. — A BJP leader
A Congress leader said it was the first alliance of the Congress and AAP under INDIA that is jointly going to contest these elections. By winning the mayoral poll, they want to send a positive message of INDIA unity ahead of the Lok Sabha poll in the country, he added.
The alliance has a total of 20 votes —13 of AAP and seven of the Congress councillors, whereas the ruling BJP has 15 votes (14 councillors and ex-officio member, i.e. MP). The SAD, which has one vote, has not yet decided who it would vote for or it would boycott the poll like the previous two occasions.
The BJP can only pin hopes on cross-voting by Opposition councillors. “There is discontentment among councillors who have been made to withdraw their nominations. They will certainly vote for us during secret ballet polling,” claimed a BJP leader.
Meanwhile, all parties said they were united and there would be no cross-voting by their respective councillors. All parties have taken their councillors out of the city amid the fears of poaching.
Advantage alliance
The alliance has a total of 20 votes —13 of AAP and seven of the Congress councillors, whereas the ruling BJP has 15 votes (14 councillors and ex-officio member, i.e. MP). The SAD, which has one vote, has not yet decided who it would vote for or if it would boycott the poll like the previous two occasions.
No decision on LS seat yet
So far there is no final word on who will contest the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat under the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
