Chandigarh MC polls: AAP accuses BJP of poaching on its councillors

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday (December 28) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of offering money to three of its municipal councillors from Chandigarh to poach them.

AAP leader Raghav Chadha made the allegation a day after the results of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls threw up a hung verdict, with AAP winning 14 of 35 wards and BJP bagging 12.

The Congress got eight seats and the Shiromani Akali Dal one.

Addressing the media in Chandigarh on Tuesday, Chadha accused the BJP of indulging in horse trading and claimed that some BJP leaders have contacted and even visited the houses of winning AAP candidates and offered them money.

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“Two of them were offered Rs 50 lakh and one was offered Rs 75 lakh by BJP’s senior leaders on Monday evening” for leaving AAP and joining the BJP, claimed Chadha without disclosing the names of the councillors.

He said as a ‘precautionary measure,’ AAP has decided to install cameras at the residences of his party’s councillors, who have also been directed to record the conversation if any BJP leader visits or contacts them. Chadha said they would make camera footage and call recordings public if any BJP leader approaches or contacts AAP councillors.

Chandigarh BJP president Arun Sood has dubbed Chadha’s claims as baseless and lies.

On Tuesday, debutant AAP emerged as the single largest party in its Chandigarh municipal polls, winning 14 seats even as the results threw up a hung House.

On the results, Chadha said, “Both BJP and Congress have ruled for over 12 years in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Now people have given AAP a chance.”