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Clean sweep AAP in Patiala Zila Parishad polls
The additional deputy commissioner-cum-returning officer for the Zila Parishad polls said, “The counting process was peaceful. There was recounting at one or two places but results didn’t change.”
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 20 of the total 23 Zila Parishad zones in Patiala district, while the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) managed to win two and one zones, respectively, amid irregularity claims by the Opposition.
In the Block Samiti, AAP won 105 of the total 169 zones while the Congress bagged 29 and SAD 10. Seven zones were won by independent candidates, said the district election office. Patiala had recorded only 44.3% turnout during polling.
The additional deputy commissioner-cum-returning officer for the Zila Parishad polls said, “The counting process was peaceful. There was recounting at one or two places but results didn’t change.”
Acting Patiala SSP Sartaj Singh Chahal said elaborate security arrangements were put in place for the peaceful counting for both the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections.
In Ghanaur, the SAD and the Congress held a protest outside the counting station after police officials allegedly allowed AAP MLA Gurlal Singh Ghanaur inside the counting centre, which was prohibited by the State Election Commission. Congress leader and former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur said, “Opposition leaders were stopped from filing nomination papers by the ruling AAP. Now, the AAP MLA entered the counting station to rig the process.”
AAP MLA Gurlal Singh Ghanaur termed the allegations baseless.
SAD leader Sarabjeet Singh Jhijher also alleged rigging in Ghanaur. “Our counting agents were not allowed inside the counting station, while AAP workers—who were not even counting agents—entered the counting room. We have already filed a complaint with the State Election Commission and will take legal recourse if the need arises.”
In the Rajpura zone, Congress had an upper hand as it bagged eight Block Samiti seats, leaving AAP with six and the SAD with one seat.
