AAP delaying Ludhiana MC polls over ‘fear of losing’: Oppn parties
Opposition leaders of the district alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was delaying the municipal corporation (MC) elections because of its ‘fear of losing due to declining popularity among voters’.
Opposition leaders of the district alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was delaying the municipal corporation (MC) elections because of its ‘fear of losing due to declining popularity among voters’.
Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), hit out the state government and renewed their push for the delayed MC elections.
To be sure, the terms of municipal councillors ended on March 25, 2023, more than a year and a half ago.
Former councillors and Opposition leaders pointed out that the absence of elected representatives has caused inconvenience to locals.
Local Congress leader Jasvinder Singh Thukral said, “Democracy is being strangled. People are facing difficulties in getting basic documents, like death and resident certificates. Residents are forced to travel long distances and meet MLAs for signatures even as it is uncertain when they will be available. Councillors could have handled these issues comparatively easily.”
District BJP president Rajnish Dhiman highlighted the struggles faced by the public due to the absence of councillors.
“Locals are suffering as they have to approach MLAs for signatures. Most of the time, MLAs are unavailable, which adds to people’s frustration. Yet, the state government seems uninterested in resolving these issues,” he lamented.
Senior SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal claimed that the state government, which was ‘low on funds for basic expenses such as pensions, was also undermining democracy by delaying elections’.
“The delimitation of wards was done in a biased manner and the state government is delaying elections out of fear of the results. We demand that the elections be held immediately,” he said.
However, AAP MLA from Ludhiana West Gurpreet Gogi said, “The matter of ward delimitation sub judice at the high court and we will conduct elections after the court’s decision.”
The Opposition leaders urged the Election Commission to step in and expedite the process.