Owing moral responsibility for the party’s humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, as many as 13 municipal councillors of Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP tendered their resignations to their respective party presidents on Wednesday.

Among those who sent their resignations are Rashpal Singh Dhanju, Surjit Kaur Ablowal from Ward 1, Jaswinder Kaur Chada from Ward 16, Hardeep Singh Bhangu from Ward 9, Inderjit Singh Kharod from Ward 48, Bhagwanti Devi from Ward 49, Jaswant Singh Tiwana from Ward 8, Gurcharan Singh Thekedar from Ward 2, Balbir Singh Kharod from Ward 50, Ramanjit Kaur Mann from Ward 31, Sukhwinder singh Minta from Ward 14, all from the SAD. The BJP councuillors who resigned are Sarita Gera and Karamjit Kaur Khushdil from Ward 4. Sources add that a few more resignations are likely to submitted by tomorrow.

Confirming his resignation, Jaswant Singh Tiwana said, “It was our moral responsibility to resign as we were rejected by the public, after we went door to door seeking votes. We could not take any benefit of the huge money spent on the city. The senior party leaders should also resign. We feel shy to even go out.”

Echoing similar sentiments, BJP’s Sarita Gera said, “The people have rejected us even though we worked hard. The public seems to have failed us in the polls. I am pained and do not wish to continue.” She has also sent her resignation to the Municipal Commissioner.

The councillors are also seeking the resignations of senior party functionaries as well as Mayor Ajit pal Singh Kohli, senior deputy mayor Anil Bajaj and deputy mayor Sonia Devi, for the poor show of the party in the elections.

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