- By Akansha Pandey
- Thu, 25 Dec 2025 02:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a significant setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the Mayoral elections scheduled for the end of January 2026, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has successfully inducted two AAP councillors. On Wednesday, female councillors Suman and Poonam bid farewell to AAP and joined the BJP during a program held at the BJP office, 'Kamalam', in Sector-33.
They were welcomed by BJP President Jitender Malhotra, Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla, and senior leader Sanjay Tandon. While Suman joined the party for the first time, this marks the second time Poonam has switched to the BJP. Notably, Poonam had joined the BJP before the mayoral election last year as well, only to return to AAP later.
Reasons For Switching Sides
When faced with sharp questions regarding their defection, both Suman and Poonam stated that they were influenced by the BJP's policies and the development work undertaken during the Mayor's one-year tenure. They alleged that no development work took place during the AAP Mayor's term. However, observers noted that both councillors gave rehearsed responses regarding their move from AAP to BJP. Councillor Suman described the move as her "homecoming."
State President Jitender Pal Malhotra stated that the councillors joined the party due to their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the central government's public welfare schemes. Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla welcomed them, stating that their inclusion would strengthen the organisation and accelerate development in the Municipal Corporation. Senior leader Sanjay Tandon added that the strengthening of the BJP organisation is a clear sign of public trust.
The Numbers Game
A Tie in the Corporation With the induction of two AAP councillors, the contest has now become evenly balanced. The BJP's strength has increased from 16 to 18 councillors. Simultaneously, the opposition's vote count has dropped from 20 to 18 (this includes the vote of Congress MP Manish Tewari). Consequently, the numbers for the BJP and the opposition (AAP and Congress combined) are now equal. Speculation suggests that one or two more councillors might be in contact with the BJP, which could allow the party to secure the Mayor's post easily.
Voting By Show Of Hands
The election for the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation in January 2026 will be conducted via "open voting" (show of hands) rather than ballot papers. Approval for this has been received from the UT Administrator. This move is seen as a strategy by the BJP to strengthen its position before the elections. This change comes in the wake of the severe embarrassment the BJP faced two years ago due to allegations of ballot tampering, which drew strict comments from the Supreme Court regarding vote theft.
Opposition Reactions AAP
AAP State President Vijay Pal Singh termed Suman Sharma’s claim of "homecoming" as pure hypocrisy. He questioned her change in ideology, recalling that while she was in AAP, she had protested against the 24-hour water scheme in Manimajra by breaking earthen pots and had raised issues regarding dirty water and bad roads. He stated that AAP had appointed her as a member of the Finance Committee with trust, but she politically misused the responsibility.
Congress: Congress MP Manish Tewari tweeted that the Mayor's tenure in the corporation should be five years and direct elections are necessary. He termed the defection of two AAP councillors just before the election as unfortunate. Congress State President HS Lucky condemned the move, stating that the BJP has shown its true colors by resorting to unethical "horse-trading" to stay in power. He added that AAP's political helplessness has been exposed and reiterated the demand for a fixed five-year term for the Mayor to stop such undemocratic practices.
The Current Equation
Previous Status
Total Councillors: 35
- BJP: 16
- AAP: 13
- Congress: 6
- MP: 1
(Total Opposition: 20)
Current Status:
- BJP: 16 + 2 = 18
- AAP: 13 - 2 = 11
- Congress: 6
- MP: 1
(Total Opposition: 11 + 6 + 1 = 18)
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