BJP suffers setback in Chandigarh municipal polls, AAP emerges as single largest party

The ruling BJP suffered a major blow in Union Territory of Chandigarh with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerging as the single largest party in the Municipal Corporation (MC) elections, the results of which were declared on Monday.

The AAP, which contested on a total 35 wards of the MC elections for the first time, registered its victory on 14 wards. Interestingly, two AAP candidates even defeated the former and sitting mayors of BJP.

In an interesting triangular contest, the AAP made its entry to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (CMC) by winning 14 wards, while the BJP won 12 wards and the Congress recorded wins at eight wards.

The Shiromani Akali Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party alliance was restricted to one seat only.

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation will see a hung house as none of the contesting parties got a majority (19 seats).

Despite the BJP’s top leadership deploying its stalwarts for the election campaign, the AAP managed to win over the city residents with alluring promises like free water and electricity.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal had virtually been camping in the city and monitoring the election campaign closely.

On AAP’s victory, Kejriwal said the party’s victory is a sign of the ensuing change in Punjab which will go to assembly polls early next year.

“The victory of Aam Aadmi Party in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation is a sign of ensuing change in Punjab. People of Chandigarh have today chosen honest politics of AAP, rejecting the corrupt politics,” Kejriwal tweeted.

“Many congratulations to all the winning candidates and workers of the AAP. Punjab is ready for change,” he added.

The AAP, which is the main Opposition party in Punjab, contested the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls for the first time.