Chandigarh, Jan 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party successfully fended off a challenge from the Congress-AAP alliance to retain its grip on the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. By winning the elections for Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor, the party reaffirmed its majority in the house during the voting held on Tuesday.
Saurabh Joshi emerged as the new Mayor after securing 18 votes, comfortably placing him ahead of the alliance candidates. Following the mayoral win, the party’s nominees for the remaining positions also mirrored this success. Jasmanpreet Singh took the office of Senior Deputy Mayor, while Suman Sharma was elected as the Deputy Mayor, each garnering 18 votes to ensure the party’s total victory.
“The results are a clear indication of the party’s stable position within the corporation,” a winning candidate noted following the announcement.
The arithmetic of the house played a crucial role in the outcome. With the BJP holding 18 councillors and the Member of Parliament possessing an additional vote, the party reached the magic number required to stay ahead of the combined 17 votes of the AAP and Congress. Although the Congress-AAP alliance fielded candidates for all three posts, they could not overcome the single-vote lead held by the BJP.
The election process was overseen by municipal officials who confirmed that the show of hands method was used to determine the winners. While the Municipal Corporation Act provides for a toss in the event of a tie, the BJP managed to maintain its lead throughout the three separate ballots for the top civic offices.
