# Tijara Municipal Polls in Turmoil as 18 Congress Councillors Allegedly Detained in Haryana, Markets Shut Down Amid Protests > Tensions escalated in Rajasthan's Tijara ahead of the municipal chairperson election after Congress alleged Haryana police detained 18 councillors returning from Himachal Pradesh. Local markets shut down as protests erupted. **Type:** article · **Category:** Rajasthan · **Published:** 2026-09-21 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/rajasthan/rajasthan-nikaya-chunava-tijara-men-18-parshadon-ko-haryana-men-roke-jane-ke-bada-bavala-bajara-bnda-aura-chappe-chappe-para-phors-35578 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Tijara, Rajasthan Civic Polls, Ashok Gehlot, Haryana Police, Sandeep Yadav, Imran Khan, Congress A severe political conflict has gripped Tijara in Rajasthan just ahead of the municipal council chairperson election. Eighteen Congress bloc councillors returning from a camp in Himachal Pradesh have allegedly gone missing, with the party directly accusing Haryana police of intercepting and detaining them. As the news reached Tijara, intense unrest unfolded across the town, prompting traders to shut down local markets while security forces established a massive deployment across all major intersections to prevent any deterioration of law and order. ## Congress Stages Demonstrations in Tijara and Panchkula The news of the councillors being stopped triggered prompt demonstrations by Congress leaders and party cadre. Former Tijara MLA Sandeep Yadav launched a sit-in demonstration in the town, demanding the immediate cancellation of the chairperson election due to alleged foul play. Amid these developments, claims later surfaced that Sandeep Yadav was taken into custody in Gurugram. Simultaneously, a bus and several accompanying vehicles were discovered stationary in the jurisdiction of Panchkula police station, prompting Congress leader Imran Khan to stage a protest on the ground in Panchkula. ## Midnight Detentions Claimed at Chandimandir Toll Plaza According to Congress, all 18 councillors were travelling back to Rajasthan specifically to cast their votes in the Tijara municipal council chairperson election. Party representatives stated that Haryana police intercepted the convoy late Sunday night near the Chandimandir (Surajpur) toll plaza. The party alleged that police personnel were armed with advance photographs of the councillors, identifying their faces one by one to segregate them from other traveling workers. Congress maintained that this was not routine vehicular checking but an orchestrated operation specifically aimed at taking the voting councillors out of circulation. ## Ashok Gehlot Accuses State Leadership, Petitions Election Commission Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot mounted a sharp offensive against the BJP and Haryana police, asserting that Tijara's Congress councillors were deliberately held in Panchkula to bar them from entering Rajasthan for polling. Gehlot alleged that Haryana authorities executed this action under directives from Haryana's chief minister at the behest of Rajasthan's chief minister. Pointing to recent developments across the state, Gehlot recalled that an independent MLA was previously arrested in Hanumangarh, while several Congress councillors across Rajasthan were served notices by the police and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). He termed the Tijara action a continuation of that coercive pattern. Demanding smooth and unhindered transit for all voting representatives, Gehlot urged the State Election Commission to intervene immediately and take necessary measures to protect democratic norms. ## What this means for you The sudden political standoff directly affects civic governance and routine life across the affected towns. - **In Tijara:** Widespread demonstrations led to the shutdown of commercial markets and shops. Heavy security presence has disrupted normal public transit and business operations throughout the area. - **For Local Governance:** Uncertainty now clouds the chairperson election scheduled for the municipal council. With cancellation demands formally raised, local administrative decisions could face procedural delays. - **For Commuters:** Interstate transit and toll checkpoints between Haryana and Rajasthan are experiencing tight scrutiny. Protests in pockets of Panchkula, Gurugram, and Tijara could create localized traffic restrictions. - **Across Rajasthan:** Political friction regarding municipal ward representatives and policing actions has intensified statewide. Watchful scrutiny now shifts to any formal directives issued by the State Election Commission. ## Why this happened The escalating dispute stems from intense maneuvers to secure voting majorities in the Tijara municipal council chairperson election. - **Immediate Trigger:** Eighteen Congress councillors returning from a political camp in Himachal Pradesh were allegedly intercepted by Haryana police at Chandimandir toll plaza. Their subsequent detention claims sparked immediate street protests and market closures in Tijara. - **Context and Precedent:** Congress highlighted that an independent MLA in Hanumangarh had recently been arrested, alongside investigative notices issued to councillors across Rajasthan by police and the ACB. The party described the Tijara detentions as an extension of administrative pressure. - **Next Steps:** Senior party leaders have formally petitioned the State Election Commission to intervene and seek cancellation of the mayoral contest until free movement of electors is guaranteed. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. What triggered protests and market shutdowns in Tijara? Protests erupted and markets closed after Congress alleged that 18 of its councillors returning from Himachal Pradesh were intercepted and detained by Haryana police. ### 2. Where and when were the councillors allegedly intercepted? The party stated that Haryana police intercepted the councillors on Sunday night near the Chandimandir (Surajpur) toll plaza, with vehicles later located in Panchkula. ### 3. What demands have been raised by Congress leaders? Congress leaders have demanded the cancellation of the Tijara municipal council chairperson election and unobstructed passage for the voting councillors. ### 4. What accusations did former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot make? Ashok Gehlot alleged that Haryana police acted under instructions from Haryana's chief minister at the behest of Rajasthan's chief minister to prevent voting. ### 5. Were any other political leaders detained or protesting? Former Tijara MLA Sandeep Yadav was reportedly detained in Gurugram, while Congress leader Imran Khan sat on a demonstration in Panchkula. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._