The election for the president, senior vice-president, and vice-president of the Mandi Gobindgarh Municipal Council descended into chaos on June 26, 2026, with opposition councillors and four AAP members alleging that the process was rigged to ensure the re-election of Harpreet Singh Prince, a close confidant of Amloh MLA.
Results and Allegations
Harpreet Singh Prince secured the president's post with 19 votes. Vineet Bittu was elected senior vice-president with 16 votes, and Sukhwinder Kaur became vice-president with 16 votes. The council has a total of 29 councillors. Four AAP councillors, six Congress members, and the BJP councillor walked out of the proceedings, claiming they were not allowed to propose candidates before the election was declared complete.
Opposition Claims of Manipulation
Dilraj Sofat, who resigned from AAP to contest the president's post, alleged that the election violated democratic norms. She stated that after all 29 councillors took the oath, the SDM announced the start of the election process. As soon as Prince's name was announced, opposition councillors tried to propose her candidature but were prevented. She claimed that AAP councillors thumped desks, and the SDM counted only the raised hands of ruling party members, declaring results without accepting opposition nominations.
Political Reactions
Former Cabinet Minister Kaka Randeep Singh joined the protesting councillors, terming the election a “murder of democracy” and vowing to challenge it in court. Media personnel also alleged they were denied entry into the MC complex during the proceedings.
