All Parties Unite Against Move to Redesignate Chandigarh Adviser

Political leaders from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Indian National Congress (INC) have jointly condemned the Union govt.’s move to redesignate the post of Chandigarh Union Territory adviser as a chief secretary to the Panjab Governor-cum-Chandigarh Administrator. They view it as an attempt to undermine Panjab’s long-standing claim to Chandigarh (WD Vol 2, Issue 47, Story 1). AAP spokesperson Neel Garg questioned the rationale for installing a chief secretary when Chandigarh is neither a state nor has a CM. He also noted that,at the time of the reorganization of Panjab in 1966, Haryana received INR 1.2M for a new capital, but Chandigarh was never given to Panjab. INC leader and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa labeled the move a ‘direct attack’ on Panjab’s legitimate claim. Former SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal recalled commitments made by previous PMs and endorsed by Parliament of India for Chandigarh’s transfer to Panjab, adding that commissions concluded there were no Hindi-speaking areas left to give to Haryana in exchange. Meanwhile, around 300 AAP leaders from Panjab, including all state cabinet ministers, MLAs, chairpersons of boards and corporations, and volunteers, are heading to Delhi to boost the party’s campaign for the 5 Feb Delhi election. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann is expected to hold road shows and public rallies in the days ahead, promoting his and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s governance model. At the same time, Panjab, having experienced at least five election cycles in 2024, likely faces two more Assembly by-elections in 2025. Ludhiana (West) MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi died last week from what is being described as ‘self inflicted gun shots’ and Banga MLA Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi quit SAD to join AAP in August 2024 but is yet to resign from his seat.