Chandigarh Mayoral Elections: Congress-AAP Alliance Aims to Secure Post Today
Click to start listening
Synopsis
The Congress-AAP coalition is poised to contest the mayoral elections in Chandigarh on Jan 30, facing off against BJP's Harpreet Babla. Amid political maneuvering and recent defections, both parties prepare for a tightly contested vote.
Key Takeaways
- The mayoral election is reserved for women this year.
- AAP and Congress together hold 19 votes in the council.
- BJP looks to gain a majority through defections.
- Voting commences at 11 am with secret ballots.
- Security measures are in place to prevent disruptions.
Chandigarh, Jan 30 (NationPress) The INDIA bloc consisting of the Congress and AAP is set to make its mark on Thursday as it strives to secure the mayoral position in Chandigarh. The principal opposition, BJP, is also vying for the seat through potential cross-voting.
In this election, the Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate, Prem Lata, will face off against BJP’s Harpreet Babla.
Alongside the mayor, a Senior Deputy Mayor and a Deputy Mayor will also be elected.
This year, the mayoral seat is designated exclusively for women and comes with a tenure of one year.
Leading up to the elections, senior woman councillor Gurbax Rawat from the Congress switched allegiance to the BJP.
In a council of 35 members, the AAP-Congress coalition holds 19 councillors—13 from AAP and 6 from Congress—while BJP possesses 16 votes.
The coalition also counts on the vote of ex-officio member and MP Manish Tewari, bringing their total to 20.
Meanwhile, BJP is counting on defections or cross-voting to reach the majority threshold of 19 votes.
Voting is scheduled to commence at 11 am, utilizing a secret ballot, with counting set to occur post-election.
Amidst reports of infighting, AAP shared a photograph of councillors sequestered in a hotel in Punjab’s Ropar to prevent “poaching.”
This image included three councillors who are allegedly “discontent” with the party.
AAP’s candidate, Prem Lata, aged 46, is the spouse of a retired Indian Air Force officer and currently teaches English to Class XI and XII students in a government institution.
On the other hand, BJP’s Harpreet Babla, a second-term councillor, is the daughter of a retired Army Colonel and married to former councillor Devinder Singh Babla, who was formerly with Congress.
As part of the agreement, Congress has nominated Jasbir Singh Bunty and Taruna Mehta for the positions of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively.
Following Gurbax Rawat's defection to BJP on January 27, both AAP and Congress relocated their councillors out of Chandigarh.
They are expected to return just hours before the voting begins.
This mayoral election represents the fourth year of a five-year rotational arrangement, with BJP having held the post for nine consecutive terms prior to the current outgoing term.
The Supreme Court appointed former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Jaishree Thakur as an independent observer to oversee the mayoral elections.
The election procedures will be conducted under her direct oversight, with all proceedings being recorded on video.
Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav conducted a review of the arrangements on Wednesday to ensure a seamless election process set to take place on Thursday at the Assembly Hall of the Municipal Corporation in Sector 17.
In his capacity as District Magistrate, under Sector 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, he has prohibited gatherings of five or more individuals in the vicinity of the Municipal Corporation within a 100-meter radius until January 30.
The mayoral elections will occur via secret ballot. Voters are prohibited from revealing the front side of the ballot paper while casting their votes.
Additionally, mobile phones, cameras, weapons, electronic devices, pens, and pencils are strictly prohibited during the election process.
