Punjab: AAP delaying polls to elect MC chiefs, says Congress

The Congress has accused Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party of “deliberately delaying” the polls to elect presidents and vice-presidents of the four municipal councils in the region.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) junked the charge, with its spokesperson Pawan Tinu saying the party has “nothing to with the election process”.

The municipal council polls in Jalandhar’s Shahkot and Bhogpur, and Kapurthala’s Nadala and Begowal were held on December 21. The polls to elect their chiefs have been pending since then.

In Shahkot, the newly elected councillors were administered the oath of January 20 and in Bhogpur on Wednesday.

The Congress alleged that the polls to elect the Shahkot MC president and vice-president had been called twice in the past week but only the oath-taking of councillors could be held during the second meeting held three days ago.

In Bhogpur, oath-taking of the councillors was held yesterday after which the SDM and the executive officer left.

In Nadala and Begowal, the councillors kept waiting for Tehsildar Harminder Singh to show this Monday but he reportedly complained of high blood pressure and did not turn up, several Congress leaders alleged over the social media.

In all MCs, the Congress has an edge over AAP.

In addition, all four councils have an extra vote of the local MLAs, who are all from the Congress giving the party an added advantage.

In Shahkot, Congress MLA Hardev S Laddi Sherowalia has now written to the Secretary and Director, Local Bodies, and the Punjab Governor over the matter.

In Bhogpur, Congress MLA Sukhwinder Kotli had on Wednesday blocked the Jalandhar-Hoshiapur highway to protest after SDM Vivek Modi and EO Rajat Oberoi left the meeting midway.

In Nadala and Begowal, Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira has taken on the government officials. He said he has reported the matter to State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhari.

All three MLAs have been alleging that their councillors were under huge pressure to quit the Congress and join AAP.

However, Tinu said, "The party has nothing to do with the election process. In Shahkot, councillors got embroiled in a tussle just ahead of the process, hence the officials left the venue. In Bhogpur, Congress MLA Kotli had already been trying to browbeat SDM Vivek Modi. A video of Kotli shouting at the SDM had gone viral a day before.”