Chandigarh Municipal Corporation's elections for Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor unfolded on Thursday (January 29), with high drama as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) clashed in a razor-thin battle decided by show-of-hands voting.
BJP candidate Saurabh Joshi emerged victorious as Mayor, securing 18 votes matching his party's councillor strength in the 35-member house. The open voting process, starting around 11 am, resolved the pre-poll deadlock without needing a lot toss, capping intense speculation.
Jasmanpreet Singh elected Senior Deputy Mayor
BJP candidate Jasmanpreet Singh won the Senior Deputy Mayor post in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation's elections, consolidating BJP's grip after Saurabh Joshi's Mayor triumph. The win came in a three-way fight mirroring the Mayor race's dynamics.
Suman Sharma wins Deputy Mayor post
Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Suman Sharma has been elected as the new Deputy Mayor in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls.
Mayor vote breakdown
Saurabh Joshi (BJP) clinched 18 votes, AAP's Yogesh Dhingra got 11, and Congress' Gurpreet Singh Gabbi secured 7—including sitting MP Manish Tewari's support. BJP's tally matched its 18-councillor strength in the 35-member house.
Transparent show-of-hands process
Polls ditched secret ballots for hand-raising with verbal confirmations, overseen by nominated councillor Ramneek Singh Bedi as presiding officer. This open method curbed cross-voting risks in the BJP-18, AAP-11, Congress-6 setup, plus MP's ex-officio vote.
House composition edge
With BJP at 18, AAP at 11, and Congress at 6, the numbers favoured unity- opposition coordination faltered, handing BJP key posts without tiebreakers. Deputy Mayor results pending to complete the sweep.
Candidates who were in the fray across key posts
All councillors attended the polling, fielding strong contenders from major parties-
- BJP slate: Saurabh Joshi (Mayor), Jasmanpreet Singh (Senior Deputy Mayor), Suman Sharma (Deputy Mayor).
- Congress challengers: Gurpreet Singh Gabbi (Mayor), Sachin Galav (Senior Deputy Mayor), Nirmala Devi (Deputy Mayor).
- AAP nominees: Yogesh Dhingra (Mayor), Manuar Khan (Senior Deputy Mayor), Jaswinder Kaur (Deputy Mayor).
- Independent: Ramchander Yadav contested Deputy Mayor, adding unpredictability.
Joshi decisively beat Gurpreet Singh Gabbi (who tallied 7 early votes including MP Manish Tewari's) and Yogesh Dhingra, consolidating BJP's hold.
Nail-biting vote math and process
Mayor victory required 19 votes amid BJP's 18 councillors, Congress's 6, AAP's 11, plus 1 MP vote- tying BJP against a potential Congress-AAP alliance at 18 each. Separate contests favored BJP, but unity risked a toss per Municipal Corporation Act. Unlike past secret ballots prone to cross-voting, transparent hand-raising under Presiding Authority Dr Ramneek Singh Bedi ensured clarity and averted disputes.
Fallout from 2021 legacy and today's implications
Echoing the controversial 2021 polls where AAP won most seats but BJP grabbed power via defections, today's result reinforces BJP dominance. With Deputy Mayor still pending, full control could streamline civic projects like waste management and infrastructure. Opposition coordination failed to materialise, handing BJP a clean sweep opportunity.
