The political landscape in Chandigarh has been dramatically reshaped ahead of the crucial mayoral elections, with the defection of two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillors to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move has resulted in a perfect numerical deadlock, leaving both the BJP and the AAP-Congress alliance with 18 votes each in the 35-member Municipal Corporation House.
Defections Alter the Political Calculus
The shift in loyalties occurred on Wednesday when AAP councillors Suman Sharma from Ward 4 and Poonam from Ward 16 formally joined the BJP. The event was announced by BJP Chandigarh president Jitendra Pal Malhotra at a press conference. This development has significant implications for the upcoming mayoral elections, scheduled for January next year, which will be conducted through a show of hands instead of a secret ballot.
Prior to these defections, the AAP-Congress alliance held a clear edge with 20 votes. The latest changes have adjusted the party strengths as follows: the BJP's strength has risen from 16 to 18, the AAP's count has dropped from 13 to 11, and the Congress remains at six. The Congress MP from Chandigarh also holds one vote in the mayoral elections, which brings the AAP–Congress alliance tally to 18, matching the BJP's new count.
Reactions and Allegations of 'Horse Trading'
The defections have sparked a fierce political war of words. The AAP's Chandigarh unit president launched a scathing attack, accusing the BJP of exposing its "anti-democratic nature" by indulging in "horse trading." He alleged that the BJP uses money and pressure tactics to coerce councillors to switch sides and pointed out that the party had previously demanded the enforcement of the anti-defection law in the Municipal Corporation, a move not accepted by the BJP-ruled administration.
Echoing these allegations, Chandigarh Congress president H.S. Lucky stated that while the BJP may use such tactics to win the mayor's post, the Congress would not stoop to similar practices. He claimed that his party had repeatedly warned the AAP leadership about the strong possibility of such defections. Lucky added that some AAP councillors had even proposed joining the Congress, but the party, sticking to coalition ethics, did not accept them.
Councillors Cite Ideology and Leadership
The defecting councillors presented their own justifications for the move. Councillor Suman Sharma described her switch as a "homecoming," stating she had a long-standing association with the BJP and was inspired to return to her "original ideological fold" by the leadership and policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She pledged to work to take the party's vision to the grassroots.
Similarly, Councillor Poonam said she joined the BJP because she was impressed by the Prime Minister's development-oriented policies and committed herself to public service under the party's banner. Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla welcomed both the new entrants into the BJP fold.
Reacting to the political turmoil, Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari took to social media platform X to state, "This is precisely the reason why a five-year mayor directly elected by the people is necessary." His comment underscores the ongoing debate about the stability of urban local governance in the face of such political volatility.
The stage is now set for a highly contested and closely watched mayoral election in January, with the balance of power perfectly poised and accusations flying thick and fast between the major political blocs in the Union Territory.
