AAP MLA Sukhanand gheraoed, evacuated by police as SAD accuses ruling party of ‘stealing’ block samiti chief poll in Baghapurana

The Punjab Block Samiti election controversy intensified in Baghapurana, Punjab after Shiromani Akali Dal accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party of manipulating the chairman poll results in Moga district, prompting protests and police deployment.

Tension prevailed in Baghapurana town of Punjab’s Moga district on Tuesday after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of “stealing” the block samiti chairman election, “despite having a lesser number of elected members”.

Furious SAD workers allegedly vandalised the gate of the block development and panchayat officer (BDPO)’s office, alleging that AAP’s Baghapurana MLA Amritpal Singh Sukhanand was holding “negotiations with some elected women members of the SAD”.

As the tension grew, a heavy police force reached the spot and evacuated the MLA amid heavy sloganeering by SAD workers against the AAP, accusing the ruling party of “brazen hooliganism”.

Later, SAD workers, led by the party’s Baghapurana in charge Tirath Singh Mahla, blocked the national highway and staged a sit-in at Baghapurana Main Chowk.

Sukhjeet Singh Mahla, Youth Akali Dal leader and son of Tirath Singh Mahla, said, “In the 25-member block samiti body, SAD has 13 elected members, the AAP 8, the Congress 3 and one is Independent.

One Congress member was also supporting us, so our strength was 14.

Even then, the AAP declared its candidate won the election.

They locked our nine women members in a room, stopped them from voting and marked them absent in the election.

This is nothing but pure hooliganism.

They have openly stolen the election and thrown democracy in the wind.”
MLA Sukhanand, meanwhile, claimed that five SAD women members did not “vote on their own will” after he spoke to them.

“It is true that we have eight elected members.

Along with the support of an Independent and one Congress member, our strength was ten.

But later, I convinced five women members of SAD not to vote, and they agreed.

So, they did not vote on their own will.

We did not lock anyone in a room to stop them from voting,” the MLA told The Indian Express over the phone.

He said police would take action against SAD workers for vandalising public property at the BDPO office.

The protest was lifted late on Tuesday after a DSP-rank officer reached the spot and held talks with the protesting SAD leaders.

“They have asked to file an official complaint against our women members held captive in a room.

We will move the high court seeking cancellation of the election hijacked by AAP,” said Sukhjeet Mahla.

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