Amid mayoral polls row, Rupani holds meet with Chandigarh BJP leaders

With mayoral elections under Supreme Court scrutiny and Anil Masih, presiding officer, told to appear before the top court, both the AAP and Congress have fresh ammo to take on the BJP

Amid the ongoing mayoral polls controversy in Chandigarh, former Gujarat chief minister and Chandigarh BJP in-charge Vijay Rupani reached the city on Wednesday and held meetings with the local BJP leadership at the BJP office in Sector 33. The meeting began at 4 pm and continued till 7 pm.

On January 30, Chandigarh’s mayoral election was marred by controversy as opposition parties accused the BJP of foul play and Masih of ballot tampering. (HT File Photo)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who attended the meeting, maintained that Rupani was there to discuss the Lok Sabha elections in Chandigarh. But sources said the issue of mayoral elections was discussed at length and senior leaders apprised him of the entire episode.

With mayoral elections under Supreme Court scrutiny and Anil Masih, presiding officer, told to appear before the top court, both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress have fresh ammo to take on the BJP.

Also, the newly appointed BJP Chandigarh chief, Jatinder Pal Malhotra, is facing flak from within sections of the party for mishandling the mayoral polls, especially ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha polls.

On January 30, Chandigarh’s mayoral election was marred by controversy as opposition parties accused the BJP of rigging elections and Masih of ballot tampering.

The opposition alleged that Masih had marked eight ballot papers with a pen, rendering them invalid, to ensure the BJP’s victory, following which the matter reached the apex court.

With the AAP releasing three damning videos on Tuesday, purportedly showing Masih tampering with the ballot papers and Bharatiya Janata Party councillors directing camera persons to pan away, allegedly in a bid to aid him, most of the BJP leaders have distanced themselves from the row and want central leadership to intervene.

A former BJP mayor, who wished not to be named, said the new party chief completely failed in his first test, and the issue has backfired, especially ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. “The videos of the presiding officer are out in public. It should have been handled differently,” he said.

Another former Bharatiya Janata Party mayor said the issue cannot be sorted out at the local level now andcentral leadership has to intervene.

After repeated attempts, BJP chief Jatinder Pal Malhotra could not be contacted for comments. Former BJP chief Sanjay Tandon said the matter is subjudice, and let the court decide. He further refused to comment on the issue.

In October last year, the saffron party appointed Jatinder Pal Malhotra, 58, as its Chandigarh unit president, replacing Arun Sood.