Tension prevailed at the Mansa SDM Office on Monday after supporters of Independent candidate Arpit Singla, alias Arpit Chaudhary, protested over reports that his nomination papers for Ward No. 18 were being rejected.
Chaudhary’s supporters gheraoed AAP MLA Vijay Singla, who had arrived at the office complex, and raised slogans against him. To defuse the situation, police personnel escorted the MLA out of the complex.
Chaudhary, who reportedly has the backing of the Congress and BJP, had earlier released a video claiming he had received information that his nomination papers were being rejected. He appealed to his supporters to reach the SDM office in large numbers.
The Opposition workers, including those from SAD, also staged a protest outside the SDM office. Later, Chaudhary’s nomination papers were found valid and were accepted.
Meanwhile, a clash broke out between AAP and the Congress workers at the SDM office complex in Malout during the scrutiny of nomination papers. Congress activists alleged that Arsh Sidhu, personal assistant to MLA and Cabinet Minister Dr Baljit Kaur, orchestrated the violence and was carrying a pistol.
Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring later reached the spot and met the SDM. The Congress workers staged a protest demanding a case against the AAP activists, including the minister’s PA.
Warring demanded an attempt to murder case and alleged that the DSP present at the scene failed to intervene, a charge denied by the police officer. Later, the Congress, SAD and BJP jointly staged a protest outside the Malout City police station.
In Faridkot, senior SAD leader Parambans Singh Bunty Romana accused officials of trying to reject nominations of the Opposition candidates under pressure from the AAP leadership and warned of legal action.
Similar tension was also reported from Barnala. In Bathinda district, the situation remained tense at Raman Mandi. Senior SAD leader Sikander Singh Maluka accused the AAP leadership of pressuring officers to reject the nomination papers of Akali candidates for the Maluka nagar panchayat.
