Questions raised over 'chinks' in Chandigarh AAP

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 9

Questions are being raised over bickering in the city AAP, which is the single largest party in the MC House, after its defeat in the mayoral poll.

According to sources, Anju Katyal, the mayoral candidate of AAP, was a choice of city president Prem Garg who enjoys the support of senior leader Harmohan Dhawan, while Prem Lata, a former Congress leader, was the choice of ex-Congress president and current city AAP co-incharge Pardeep Chhabra, for the post of Senior Deputy Mayor .

Ram Chander Yadav, the party’s choice for the post of Deputy Mayor, was a neutral candidate. He tied with Anup Gupta of the BJP 14:14, but lost in a draw of lots.

While Garg and Dhawan belong to the same group, Chhabra is from another faction. Earlier, due to alleged infighting, the party’s election committee chairman Chadermukhi Sharma had gone silent during the MC poll, but later came on board.

“Owing to one-upmanship and polarisation in AAP, cross-voting happened. After our mayoral candidate lost the poll due to a ballot paper ‘deliberately’ marked with a tick, the other group also ensured the defeat of the party candidate for the post of Senior Deputy Mayor by cross-voting. Since the candidate for the post of Deputy Mayor was a neutral candidate, there was a tie,” alleged a party leader preferring anonymity. “In the coming days, infighting will grow among the councillors and it may come out in the open,” he added.

However, some AAP leaders feel otherwise. They feel the one who cross-voted may have been offered something or he or she may have some personal grudge.

Denying any infighting as the reason for the party’s defeat, Garg said, “It may be someone’s personal thing, but not due to groupism at all.” Chhabra also denied infighting in the party and said, “We will hold a meeting tomorrow to find out who and why cross-voted.”