AAP abusing power, misusing state machinery for victory, alleges BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of abusing power and misusing the state machinery for winning the civic body polls.

BJP state general secretary Anil Sarin said that around 6 am today, Punjab Police arrested BJP candidate Gautam Sood from ward number 2 in Ghanaur Nagar panchayat on the flimsy ground of hurling abuses at someone and misbehaving with the police when they raided Sood’s house during the early hours.

On December 10, the BJP had declared Gautam as its candidate from ward number 2. “The police have registered a false and baseless case against him and SHO Ghanaur has arrested him,” claimed Anil Sarin.

Showing a video of Gautam being arrested from his house in the early hours as proof, Sarin said that when asked, the SHO could not show the complainant’s name or mobile number details.

Similarly, when BJP candidate of Dharamkot ward number 8 Vipin Pubby went to file his nomination, not only did a man snatch his file but also took away the authority letters of all the BJP candidates for nagar panchayat Dharamkot elections in the presence of the Punjab Police, claimed Sarin.

Sarin said that senior officials were apprised of the situation, but no action was taken.

Despite repeated attempts, SSP Patiala Nanak Singh and SHO Ghanaur SI Sahib Singh could not be contacted for comments.

Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, who was also visiting the city, flagged the issue that ruling AAP was using arm-twisting measures to win the elections and government officials were not issuing NOCs with December 12 being the last date for the filing of nomination papers.

High drama was witnessed at the Deputy Commissioner’s office this evening when former Union Minister Preneet Kaur, accompanied by her daughter Jai Inder Kaur, Punjab BJP Mahila Morcha chief, and former BJP state president Ashwani Kumar, visited the DC office and accused the authorities of being involved in tearing the nomination papers of newly appointed Patiala BJP Urban chief Vijay Kumar Kuka who is contesting elections from ward no. 50.

Kuka said that today, when he was walking towards the office of the returning officer to file his nomination papers, some persons arrived and snatched his papers.

Pardeep Bajwa of police station Tripuri said that they have received a complaint and the matter was being investigated.