Tensions escalated in Chandigarh as AAP councillors engaged in a dispute with police when denied entry to the Municipal Corporation office during their protest against alleged "rigging" in the recent mayoral polls.
Five AAP workers, including a councillor, on a hunger strike were removed by police, who later detained all protesters at the site.
Led by Sunny Ahluwalia, the AAP councillors demanded action against the presiding officer for purportedly tampering with ballot papers in the mayoral polls.
The police barred their entry, leading to a heated argument.
Prem Lata, an AAP councillor, asserted, "We have every right to enter the municipal corporation office."
A significant police presence and barricades were in place.
The AAP had planned a relay hunger strike against the BJP, accusing them of election malpractice. The BJP had swept the mayoral polls on January 30, triggering allegations of ballot tampering by the opposition.
Manoj Sonkar of the BJP secured victory, defeating AAP's Kuldeep Kumar with 16 votes to 12. Eight votes were declared invalid. Opposition councillors contested the results, claiming the presiding officer had tampered with ballot papers, a charge denied by the BJP.
Despite the AAP moving the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking fresh elections under a retired judge's supervision, the court declined interim relief.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to hear an AAP councillor's plea challenging the high court order today.
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