In a dramatic turn of events, BJP councillors and Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla appear to be heading towards a confrontation with the Chandigarh Administration over the recent hikes in the property tax and collector rates. A crucial meeting was held on Tuesday at the BJP’s Chandigarh headquarters, Kamlam. State party president Jitender Pal Malhotra chaired the meeting, which was attended by the mayor and all elected and nominated councillors of the BJP. According to sources, the BJP councillors are actively considering a collective resignation as a mark of protest against the administration’s unilateral decisions, which they claim are being made without considering public sentiment or the elected House’s opinions. The councillors argue that such moves are placing an undue financial burden on residents, while their own inputs are being disregarded in key policy matters. This brewing rebellion is seen as a response to mounting criticism from the opposition and the public, especially after the administration moved ahead with implementing a property tax hike despite the proposal being rejected in the House meeting. The councillors reportedly expressed that if the administration fails to take corrective steps soon, they are prepared to resign in mass. Sources revealed that this issue was earlier discussed with BJP National General Secretary (Organization) B.L Santosh and Chandigarh BJP in-charge Atul Garg. The senior leaders are believed to have assured that the matter would be raised with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Councillors had also pressed for the reversal of these unpopular decisions to avoid public backlash ahead of the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections in December 2026. Meanwhile, amid intensifying political pressure, Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla recently met with the UT Chief Secretary to request a rollback of the property tax notification. Despite submitting a formal representation, her plea received no response from the administration. Mayor Babla has publicly voiced her frustration, calling the administration’s conduct discriminatory. She noted that the Municipal Corporation delivers 80 per cent of the city's civic services, yet does not receive revenue sharing from the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA). Mayor Babla questioned how the administration could notify a property tax hike despite the House rejecting the proposal. “The increase in property tax has to be rolled back. Without consulting the councillors, the property tax has been increased, which will not be tolerated. We have been asking the administration for funds, but they are not allocating us. All the expenses are on us, nothing is going right in the City, roads are not in good condition, and there is a shortage of water”, noted Babla. "How will we ask the city people for tax when we are unable to provide them with Civic amenities? So, if the property tax is not rolled back, all BJP councillors and the mayor will resign," added Babla. Meanwhile, earlier, during the BJP meeting, several councillors echoed similar sentiments, with some raising the issue of mass resignation. As buzz grows over BJP councillors, including Mayor Babla, threatening to resign in protest against recent hikes in property tax and collector rates, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders slammed the move as a political stunt to mislead voters ahead of elections. AAP Chandigarh State Treasurer J.D. Ghai dismissed the resignation talk as “crocodile tears,” asserting, “The BJP has failed to deliver any meaningful development in the city over the past decade. Now, they are trying to shift focus from their failures by creating drama.” Echoing Ghai’s sentiments, AAP Women’s Wing President and councillor Prem Lata also called it a “fixed drama” orchestrated to fool the public. “This resignation drama, staged in the presence of the Chandigarh BJP president, is nothing but a distraction. The property tax hike was approved by the BJP-led central government. If they truly cared for public welfare, they would resign overall central government decisions harming Chandigarh,” she said. “The mayor herself claimed to have met Home Minister Amit Shah, who promised grants for the Municipal Corporation. If the BJP truly stands with the people of Chandigarh, its councillors and Mayor should resign over these unfulfilled promises, not just over one issue for political mileage,” Prem Lata added. AAP leaders said the people of Chandigarh are no longer unaware — they recognize the difference between real governance and “political stunts.”
