Joint Protest by Congress and SAD in Abohar
In a rare show of unity, workers from the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) held a joint sit-in protest in Abohar on Tuesday, expressing their anger over the rejection of nomination papers for the upcoming municipal elections. The protesters accused the returning officers of acting under political pressure and violating election norms.
The protest, which took place near the municipal council office, saw leaders and supporters from both parties demanding a fresh scrutiny of the rejected nominations. They argued that the rejections were arbitrary and aimed at favoring candidates from the ruling party.
Allegations of Bias
Congress leader Rajesh Kumar claimed that the nomination papers of at least five party candidates were rejected on flimsy grounds. "The returning officers did not provide proper reasons for rejection. This is a clear case of bias," he said. Similarly, SAD leader Gurpreet Singh alleged that the rejections were politically motivated to weaken the opposition.
The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, demanding a re-examination of the rejected papers. They warned of intensifying the agitation if their demands were not met.
Political Reactions
The joint protest highlights the growing discontent among opposition parties over the conduct of the municipal elections. Political analysts view this as a significant development, given the historical rivalry between Congress and SAD in Punjab politics.
Meanwhile, the ruling party has dismissed the allegations, stating that the rejections were based on technicalities and that all candidates were treated equally. The election authorities have assured that the process is transparent and that any candidate can appeal against the rejection.
The sit-in continued for several hours, with participants vowing to escalate the movement if the issue is not resolved promptly.
