Chandigarh: In a significant political development, three Chandigarh councillors from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi. The councillors, namely Punam Devi, Neha Musawat, and Gurcharan Kala, made their allegiance shift official in the presence of BJP’s National General Secretary, Vinod Tawde.
Expressing their reasons for leaving AAP, the councillors cited dissatisfaction with the treatment received within the party. Neha Musawat accused AAP of making false promises, while Punam Devi and Gurcharan Kala highlighted their inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and BJP’s vision.
This defection comes amidst heightened tensions in Chandigarh’s political landscape, particularly with the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on allegations of irregularities in the recent mayoral elections. BJP leader Manoj Sonkar’s resignation as Chandigarh Mayor further underscores the gravity of the situation.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had criticized the conduct of the Returning Officer involved in the mayoral elections, describing it as a “mockery of democracy” and ordering the preservation of all election-related records. Allegations of vote tampering have cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the election results, with AAP’s councillor Kuldeep Dhalor challenging BJP’s victory.
As the political landscape in Chandigarh continues to evolve, these developments raise questions about the integrity of electoral processes and the stability of party alliances in the region.