Jakhar warns AAP govt against attempting to 'rig' local body polls

However, Congress councillors, despite being elected against AAP, ignored the public mandate and extended support to AAP in electing mayors.Polling for 104 municipal bodies, including eight municipal corporations, in Punjab will be held on May 26. Polling will be held through ballot papers.

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday warned the AAP government against using any illegal means to win the May 26 local body elections, saying the state would no longer bow to AAP's ''fear and pressure tactics''.

Jakhar said statements allegedly being made by certain AAP leaders about shutting polling booth doors to win elections reflected the desperation of the government. He said such remarks amounted to AAP admitting defeat in advance.

The BJP leader further said that instead of burdening Punjab with a debt of over Rs 2.25 lakh crore and ''wasting'' the state's earnings over the past four-and-a-half years, the money should have been spent on the state's development.

Had that happened, he claimed, AAP would not have needed to ''resort to plans of election manipulation.''.

Under the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, corruption, ''goonda raj,'' and drug abuse have reached ''alarming levels'', making people feel insecure, he said.

The people have now firmly decided that the next government in Punjab would be formed by the BJP.

He appealed to voters to reject ''vote-cutting parties'' in the local body elections and unite behind the BJP for a better future for Punjab.

Jakhar claimed the Mann government had only a few months left because Assembly elections could be held earlier than expected in view of the upcoming census process.

He urged Mann to ''read the writing on the wall'' and uphold democratic norms.

The people of Punjab had given AAP an opportunity, but the government ''failed'' to resolve basic public issues, Jakhar alleged in a statement.

Meanwhile, Punjab BJP spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal said the saying 'Birds of a feather flock together' perfectly reflects the relationship between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab politics.

He stated that a vote for the Congress in the upcoming local body polls will ultimately strengthen AAP, as both parties only pretend to oppose each other while secretly working together behind the scenes.

Baliawal said in several municipal corporations and municipal councils across Punjab, the people did not give a clear majority to AAP. However, Congress councillors, despite being elected against AAP, ignored the public mandate and extended support to AAP in electing mayors.

Polling for 104 municipal bodies, including eight municipal corporations, in Punjab will be held on May 26. Polling will be held through ballot papers.