The election of the chairman and vice-chairman of the Block Samiti in Sultanpur Lodhi ended in controversy on Monday, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) securing both posts even as Independent MLA Rana Inder Pratap Singh alleged large-scale irregularities in the polling process.After the voting, Vidya Rani was elected as the chairperson of the Block Samiti, while Labh Singh Nabipur was elected as the vice-chairperson.However, the election process triggered protests by supporters of Rana Inder Pratap Singh, who staged a demonstration outside the BDPO office where the election was held. Police had deployed security personnel around the premises to maintain order as the political atmosphere remained tense throughout the day.Members prevented from votingSpeaking to The Indian Express, Rana alleged that police prevented his supporters from entering the venue, allowing the election to be conducted in a one-sided manner.He said the Block Samiti consists of 15 members, of whom eight independent members supported by him had won, while seven members belonged to the AAP. With his own vote as MLA, Rana claimed his camp had nine votes, giving them a clear majority.According to the MLA, the situation changed after one independent member recently joined the AAP, while another member from the party shifted allegiance to his camp.He alleged that the member who had recently joined his side was not allowed to cast his vote because a manhandling case had recently been registered against him. Rana questioned the legality of the decision, stating that the person had not been convicted and therefore had every right to vote.Story continues below this ad“The person is only an accused and not a convict. There is no law that bars him from exercising his voting right,” Rana said.He further alleged that when other independent members supporting him attempted to enter the venue, police stopped them from participating in the poll, resulting in only seven members casting votes in the election.Rana said he raised the matter with the election officer, the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), informing him that his supporters had been prevented from entering the venue. Despite this, he alleged, the election process continued and the chairman and vice-chairman were elected from among the members present.Calling the process “undemocratic and unfair,” the MLA accused election officials of acting under pressure and demanded a review of the entire poll process.AAP rejects allegationsStory continues below this adMeanwhile, Sajjan Singh Cheema, the constituency incharge of the Aam Aadmi Party, rejected the allegations and said the voting was conducted strictly as per the rules.Congratulating the newly elected office-bearers, Cheema said the victory of Vidya Rani and Labh Singh Nabipur reflected the people’s trust in the policies of the AAP.He also dismissed accusations of intimidation, calling them baseless. Referring to a member named Harvinder Singh Lali, Cheema said police were taking action because a case had already been registered against him and that the matter was purely a legal issue unrelated to the party.Rana Inder Pratap Singh, son of Rana Gurjit Singh, had contested the 2022 Punjab Assembly election from Sultanpur Lodhi as an Independent candidate after the Congress denied him the ticket and instead fielded the then sitting MLA Navtej Singh Cheema. Rana went on to win the seat as an Independent.Congress leaders clash with police in KhannaStory continues below this adTension prevailed in Khanna on Monday after Congress leaders staged a protest against the election of the Block Samiti chairman and vice-chairman, alleging that the process was rigged and not conducted in a fair manner.Police detained former cabinet minister and ex-Khanna MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli along with several party workers when they were heading to put a lock on the office of BDPO.Congress workers raised slogans against the AAP-led state government.Congress leaders claimed that out of the total 16 members in the Block Samiti, the AAP had only six elected members but still managed to appoint the chairman and vice-chairman despite lacking a majority.After addressing the gathering, Kotli workers headed towards the BDPO office, Khanna with the intention of locking the office as a mark of protest. However, police officials intercepted them on the way.Story continues below this adAAP’s Khanna MLA and Cabinet minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond lashed out at Kotli and accused the Congress of attempting to disrupt the democratic process.With inputs from ENS Ludhiana