Chandigarh Mayor election tomorrow; BJP, Congress and AAP in tight numbers game
PTC Web Desk: The stage is set for a keenly contested three-cornered fight in the Chandigarh Mayor election, with none of the candidates withdrawing their nominations till the last moment. The contest has turned crucial as the numbers in the Municipal Corporation remain finely balanced, making the outcome unpredictable.
For the Mayor’s post, the BJP has fielded Saurabh Joshi, Congress is backing Gurpreet Singh Gabi, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated Yogesh Dhingra. The battle is equally intense for the Senior Deputy Mayor’s position, where BJP’s Jasmanpreet Singh, Congress’ Sachin Galav and AAP’s Manuar Khan are in the fray.
In the race for Deputy Mayor, the BJP has nominated Suman Sharma, Congress has fielded Nirmala Devi, and AAP’s official candidate is Jaswinder Kaur. Adding an interesting twist, AAP councillor Ramchander Yadav is contesting the Deputy Mayor’s post as an Independent candidate. His nomination has been proposed by two Congress councillors, further complicating the political arithmetic.
To secure victory in the Mayor’s election, a candidate needs at least 19 votes. Following the recent induction of two councillors into the BJP, the party’s strength in the House has risen to 18. At present, the Congress has six councillors, while AAP has 11. The Chandigarh Member of Parliament is entitled to one vote, making the situation evenly poised. As things stand, both the ruling party and the combined strength of Congress and AAP stand at 18 votes each.
Political observers believe that if Congress and AAP decide to contest independently, the BJP could find the path to victory easier. However, if the two opposition parties choose to coordinate, the election could turn into a nail-biting contest. As per the Municipal Corporation Act, if two candidates secure an equal number of votes, the winner will be decided through a draw of lots.
Unlike the previous Mayor election, which was held through secret ballot and saw cross-voting play a decisive role in close contests, this time the election will be conducted by a show of hands. With only a few hours left for polling, no further shifts between parties have been reported, and the fight for the top civic posts has reached a critical stage.
For the Mayor election meeting, nominated councillor Dr Ramneek Singh Bedi has been appointed as the Presiding Authority. The election process will begin at 11 am. As per the prescribed guidelines, councillors will indicate their choice by raising their hands. Votes will be counted through visual verification and oral confirmation, and detailed minutes along with proper documentation and recording will be maintained to avoid any dispute.
- With inputs from agencies
