TARN TARAN: Ravinder Singh Brahmpura, Vice President of the Shiromani Akali Dal and former MLA, has made serious allegations against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, claiming the misuse of public resources to influence the upcoming Ludhiana West by-election. A formal complaint has been lodged with the Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab, calling for immediate and thorough action against those responsible, including government officials and AAP MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura.
In his statement, Brahmpura emphasized, “It is troubling that the Aam Aadmi Party, which championed principles of accountability and transparency, now appears to be undermining the very foundations of our democratic process. Utilizing government resources for partisan campaigning is not only a clear violation of electoral regulations but also represents a significant breach of public trust.”
Brahmpura provided specifics on the allegations, noting that the District Public Relations (DPR) office in Tarn Taran issued an official press communication endorsing AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora. The release included an appeal from Khadoor Sahib AAP MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura soliciting voter support for the candidate.
“This represents a concerning abuse of authority, ” stated Brahmpura. “According to Rule VII of the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct, the ruling party is expressly prohibited from using government media for electoral advantage. The actions of the AAP government constitute a blatant violation of this rule, effectively transforming the DPR office into a tool for political promotion. Although the post was later removed from social media, we have gathered substantial evidence, including coverage in many valued newspapers.”
Brahmpura has called upon the Election Commission to take immediate action in response to this significant breach and to initiate comprehensive disciplinary and legal proceedings against the officials involved at the DPR office in Tarn Taran. Furthermore, he has demanded a thorough investigation into the activities of MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura, advocating for an immediate suspension of his campaigning efforts to ensure the integrity of the electoral process in Ludhiana West.