After a legal battle in the Supreme Court, Kuldeep Kumar officially assumed the role of the Mayor of Chandigarh today. The swearing-in ceremony saw the presence of notable figures such as Chief Minister Punjab’s OSD Rajveer Singh Ghuman, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board Chairman, and AAP Chandigarh co-incharge Dr. SS Ahluwalia, along with senior AAP leaders Pradeep Chhabra, Naresh Garg, Chandramukhi Sharma, Abha Bansal, PP Ghai, Meena Sharma, and councilors Prem Lata, Damanpreet Singh, Jasvir Singh Ladi, Yogesh Dhingra, Manowar, Ramchandra Yadav, Anju Katyal, Suman Sharma, and Jaswinder Kaur. Congratulations and sweets were shared among the leaders and attendees to mark the occasion.
Mayor Kuldeep Kumar, addressing the gathering, expressed his view that this victory symbolized the triumph of truth. He highlighted the alleged subversion of democracy by the BJP on January 30, citing the cancellation of 8 votes of its nominated councillor and presiding officer Anil Masih. The Supreme Court’s verdict, validating these votes, was seen as a victory for democracy.
Kumar thanked the Supreme Court for preserving democratic values and pledged to focus on the overall development of Chandigarh. He assured the residents that the promises made by AAP would be implemented through Municipal Corporation meetings, aiming to address their concerns and elevate Chandigarh to the top-ranking city in the country.
Dr. SS Ahluwalia, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board Chairman, and AAP Chandigarh co-incharge criticized the BJP for allegedly undermining democracy during the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor elections in Chandigarh. He claimed that the BJP’s actions of canceling votes and imposing its chosen mayor had irked the city’s residents.
Ahluwalia argued that the Supreme Court’s strong condemnation of such actions exposed the BJP’s alleged undemocratic practices. He further accused the BJP of attempting similar tactics nationwide but expressed confidence that the public, now aware of the situation, would reject the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.