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Chandigarh: Kejriwal invokes pledge to keep his flock together ahead of mayoral poll
Amid fears of horse-trading, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal says councillors should not break the trust of Chandigarh residents who voted for them
With fears of horse-trading hanging over the election of Chandigarh municipal corporation mayor, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal got the party’s 14 councillors to take the pledge of loyalty in public here on Thursday.
Addressing AAP workers at the Vijay Yatra (victory procession), after his party won 14 of the 35 seats in its maiden Chandigarh MC election, Kejriwal said, “The trust shown by people should not be broken.”
Kejriwal read out the pledge as the councillors followed him in reciting it, “Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) party is like my mother. Chandigarh is my family. I will not break the trust the residents of Chandigarh have placed in me and my party. I will never leave AAP. I will never be a traitor to my party and my Chandigarh family. If I do, then Chandigarh residents shouldn’t vote for me ever.”
In the pledge, he further asked the councillors to commit that they would work with honesty, not accept any bribe and not allow anybody else to do wrong things.
In the newly elected MC house, the debutant AAP became the single-largest party, but failed to get clear majority. AAP has 14 votes, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 13, Congress 8 and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) 1. AAP, BJP and Congress -all have stated they would put up their candidates for the mayor’s post.
Only a day after the election results were announced, AAP had alleged that BJP leaders were trying to purchase their councillors to change sides during the mayoral elections. It had put its councillors under surveillance. Responding to these allegations, both BJP and Congress had made counter-allegations of horse-trading on AAP.
Tells councillors to restore city’s glory
Stating that politics is only during the elections, and now such difference should be forgotten, Kejriwal, said, “All workers and councillors should ensure that from whichever party people come to you, there should be no discrimination. Don’t discriminate against those from the BJP, SAD or the Congress. All of them are our own people. Work more for people from other parties so that they vote for us next time,” he said, urging them to work towards restoring Chandigarh’s “glory as City Beautiful”.
On the party’s victory in MC elections, Kejriwal, said, “Our workers have to work so hard that people vote for the AAP across the country.”
Kejriwal said that the people of Chandigarh have cast their vote after seeing the Delhi model of AAP. Applying the Delhi model in Chandigarh will also make it the most beautiful city.
Kejriwal was accompanied by Punjab AAP chief and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, Chandigarh unit leaders Chander Mukhi Sharma and Pardeep Chhabra besides the 14 councillors on the truck from Sector 22, one of the oldest sectors in the heart of Chandigarh. The procession started from Sector 22 Aroma light-point and ended at the Sector 23 light-point. There was also rampant violation of Covid norms during the procession, as none of the leaders on the truck were wearing masks, and those walking alongside the truck were also seen crowding.
