Register case against AAP MLAs for rigging Jalandhar bypoll: Akali Dal

Chandigarh, May 11 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday appealed to the Election Commission of India to register a case against all the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators and senior leaders in Punjab for "rigging" the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll held on Wednesday.

Addressing the media here, former state minister Bikram Singh Majithia said that AAP legislators who had been caught in Jalandhar on the polling day or had been photographed there included Dalbir Singh Tong, Daljit Singh Grewal, Jasbir Sandhu, Gurpreet Gogi, Amolak Singh, Madan Lal Bagga and Ajay Gupta.

He said the lack of even a semblance of control on the election process by the chief electoral officer had encouraged AAP to indulge in goondaism and even take over polling booths.

"Videography inside the booths was also not done, while Gaurav Montu, an AAP leader close to minister Inderbir Singh Nijher, was even caught by SAD-BSP candidate Sukhwinder Sukhi while in possession of seals meant for ballot boxes," Majithia said.

He also said that SSP Mukhwinder Bhullar tried to prevail upon SAD workers to let Montu go free, indicating that the entire administration was under the influence of the AAP government.

The SAD leader then alleged indifference on the part of Deputy Commissioner Jaspreet Singh towards the complaints filed by the Opposition in this regard.