Cross-voting Leaves Fractured AAP-Cong Alliance on Ventilator

BJP's victory in the mayoral polls, despite not having the numbers, highlights deepening rifts within the alliance, raising doubts about its future in the city

- Aneesha Sareen Kumar

CHANDIGARH: The BJP's victory in mayoral polls has dealt a huge blow to both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, and cast a shadow over their already fragile alliance in Chandigarh.

The alliance's loss also raises questions about city member Parliament (MP) Manish Tewari's ability hereon to influence the city's administration and fulfill the poll promises he made to voters during the Lok Sabha elections last year.

For nearly two months, cracks in the alliance were becoming more apparent, both at the national level and within neighboring Punjab, as both parties took jabs at each other.

This growing discord even led AAP to take drastic steps, attempting to have the mayoral polls delayed until after the Delhi assembly elections by bringing the matter to the Supreme Court.

Tewari also made tireless efforts to somehow keep the flock together. But his attempts were in vain, and now, with the election result in hand, knives are out.