The Congress and AAP did not forge an alliance for the mayoral polls this time. Ramneek Singh Bedi, a nominated councillor, conducted the election for the post of mayor.
Chandigarh: BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi was elected the new mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Thursday as the party swept the mayoral polls by also securing the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. After the results were declared, a war of words erupted between AAP and the Congress, with their leaders accusing each other of “helping” the BJP. The mayoral polls were conducted by a show of hands instead of the previous practice of a secret ballot. After raising their hands, councillors also gave their verbal confirmation before the presiding officer.
In a three-cornered contest for the post of mayor of the Chandigarh civic body, BJP nominee Joshi secured 18 votes against 11 for Aam Aadmi Party's Yogesh Dhingra and seven for Congress' Gurpreet Singh Gabi.
The Congress and AAP did not forge an alliance for the mayoral polls this time. Ramneek Singh Bedi, a nominated councillor, conducted the election for the post of mayor.
After being elected the mayor, Joshi recalled his long association with the BJP and dedicated his victory to the party leadership and to the party workers.
In the 35-member House of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, the BJP has 18 councillors, the AAP has 11, and the Congress has six. The Chandigarh MP also has a voting right as an ex officio member of the municipal corporation.
Sitting MP Manish Tewari of the Congress raised his hand in support of his party's nominee Gabi.
After BJP's Joshi (46) was declared the new mayor of Chandigarh, he conducted the elections for the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. The Congress abstained from voting in this election.
After voting for the mayor's post, all six Congress councillors and party MP Tewari left the House.
BJP nominee for senior deputy mayor Jasmanpreet Singh defeated AAP councillor Manuar Khan, while BJP's Suman Sharma won the post of deputy mayor by defeating AAP nominee Jaswinder Kaur.
Before the election for the post of deputy mayor, AAP councillor Ramchandra Yadav, who had filed his nomination as an independent, withdrew his candidature.
Meanwhile, AAP's Chandigarh in-charge Jarnail Singh alleged that the Congress “once again gave its full and unwavering support to the BJP”.
“The people of Chandigarh will surely take revenge for this betrayal and will elect the Aam Aadmi Party in upcoming election with a full majority...,” Singh said in a post on X.
Elections for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation are due in December this year.
