In a closely contested mayoral election in Chandigarh, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate, Manoj Sonkar, clinched victory with 16 votes, defeating the Congress-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Kuldeep Tita, who secured 12 votes. Notably, eight votes were deemed invalid, adding a layer of complexity to the results. The announcement sparked protests against the presiding authority, Anil Masih, leading to the intervention of marshals to maintain order.
With this win, Manoj Sonkar will preside over the subsequent elections for the positions of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, solidifying the BJP’s influence in the local governance.
The mayoral polls held special significance as it marked the maiden electoral challenge for the Opposition’s INDIA alliance against the BJP. Moreover, this election witnessed a unique alliance between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, showcasing strategic collaboration against the ruling party.
Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh oversaw the polling process, which encountered a delayed start. Initially scheduled to commence at 10 am, the voting began nearly an hour later due to the late arrival of the deputy commissioner and some BJP councillors.
MP Kirron Kher, an ex-officio member of the House, cast the first vote. Out of the total 36 votes polled during the hour-long process, the AAP and Congress combined had 20 votes, while the BJP secured 15 votes, with an additional vote from ex-officio member Kher.
In an unprecedented move, media personnel were denied entry to the press gallery, preventing direct coverage of the election. Reporters had to rely on a screen in the conference room, offering a visual representation of the polling process without audio output.
Originally scheduled for January 18, the mayoral election faced a postponement to February 6 due to the presiding officer’s illness. Following objections from Opposition councillors and legal intervention, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the rescheduled polls to be held on January 30.
To ensure the security and smooth conduct of the election, approximately 700 police personnel and additional paramilitary forces were deployed at the Municipal Corporation Building in Chandigarh. Despite this, some Municipal councillors from the Congress and AAP declined additional security offered by the Chandigarh police.
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