Saurabh Joshi: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Saurav Joshi on Thursday, January 29, won the Chandigarh mayoral election after securing a clear majority in the municipal corporation vote.
Joshi secured 18 votes, defeating Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominee Yogesh Dhingra, who received 11 votes, and Congress candidate Gurpreet Singh Gabi, who managed seven. The outcome reflected BJP’s numerical strength in the House and the absence of a joint strategy between the Congress and AAP.
Who Is Saurabh Joshi
Joshi, the BJP’s official nominee, represents Ward No. 14, which includes Sectors 15, 16, 17 and 24 of Chandigarh. Known for his active participation in civic affairs, he has consistently raised local issues during municipal corporation meetings and has been vocal on matters related to urban governance.
His elevation to the mayor’s post comes at a time when the 35-member municipal corporation remains politically competitive, with BJP holding a narrow majority.
BJP Leaders Congratulate New Mayor
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu congratulated Joshi on his election and wished him success in leading the city. In a social media post, Bittu expressed confidence that Chandigarh would witness progress and improved governance under Joshi’s leadership.
The BJP’s Chandigarh unit also welcomed the development, stating that the city would gain renewed momentum in areas such as development, transparency and public welfare under the new mayor.
How The Mayor Poll Was Conducted
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation mayoral election was held through a show of hands, marking a departure from the earlier system of secret ballot. Councillors were also required to verbally confirm their votes.
Nominated councillor Ramneek Singh Bedi served as the presiding officer for the election. In the current House strength, BJP has 18 councillors, AAP 11, and Congress six. Chandigarh’s sitting MP, Manish Tewari of the Congress, voted as an ex officio member in support of his party’s candidate, Gurpreet Singh Gabi.
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