'Cheating' in Chandigarh mayoral polls: Arvind Kejriwal after BJP candidate wins mayor post

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday alleged there was "cheating" in broad daylight in the Chandigarh mayoral polls and that those who did it can go to any extent in the national elections.

His reaction came after BJP's Manoj Sonkar on Tuesday defeated AAP's Kuldeep Kumar, who was fielded as part of an alliance with the Congress, to win the post of mayor.

In Chandigarh, councillors of the INDIA bloc parties -- AAP and Congress -- protested as soon as the results were announced.

"The way cheating has been done in broad daylight in the Chandigarh mayoral polls is extremely worrying. If they can stoop so low in a mayoral election, they can go to any extent in the national elections. This is extremely worrying," Kejriwal said in a post on 'X' in Hindi.

चंडीगढ़ मेयर चुनाव में दिन दहाड़े जिस तरह से बेईमानी की गई है, वो बेहद चिंताजनक है। यदि एक मेयर चुनाव में ये लोग इतना गिर सकते हैं तो देश के चुनाव में तो ये किसी भी हद तक जा सकते हैं। ये बेहद चिंताजनक है।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 30, 2024

The polls, held following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, assume significance with opposition INDIA bloc members Congress and AAP joining hands to contest the elections.

Sonkar polled 16 votes while Kumar secured 12. Eight votes were declared invalid.

The newly elected mayor will hold the elections to the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

As part of the alliance, the AAP was contesting for the mayor's post while the Congress has fielded candidates for senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.