Breaking News: BJP Consolidates Civic Power in Chandigarh, Secures All Three Top Municipal Offices

The Voice of Chandigarh
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) consolidated its dominance over Chandigarh’s civic administration by sweeping all three key posts in the Municipal Corporation—Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor—delivering a decisive blow to a divided opposition.

Following the election of Saurabh Joshi as Mayor, the BJP tightened its hold on the civic body with the election of Jasmanpreet Singh as Senior Deputy Mayor and Suman Sharma as Deputy Mayor, both securing 18 votes each, reflecting the party’s numerical strength and internal cohesion.

Opposition Walkout Clears Path for BJP

The election for Senior Deputy Mayor turned largely symbolic after Congress councillors walked out of the House immediately after the Mayor’s election. With the opposition absent, BJP candidate Jasmanpreet Singh was elected unopposed, highlighting the lack of coordination among rival parties.

Deputy Mayor Election Underscores Opposition Disunity

The Deputy Mayor contest further exposed fractures within the opposition ranks. With the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress either divided or absent during voting, BJP candidate Suman Sharma sailed through comfortably, completing the party’s clean sweep.

Transparent Process, Clear Political Arithmetic

For the first time, the elections were conducted through a show of hands with verbal confirmation, ensuring procedural transparency. The Municipal Corporation House comprises 18 BJP councillors, 11 from AAP, and 6 from Congress, with a total electorate of 36 votes including one Member of Parliament. Despite the majority mark standing at 19, the opposition’s inability to present a united front worked decisively in BJP’s favour.

BJP Strengthens Grip on Urban Governance

With experienced councillors occupying all major offices, the BJP has effectively secured full command of Chandigarh’s municipal governance. Under Mayor Saurabh Joshi’s leadership, the new civic leadership is expected to focus on urban infrastructure, sanitation, civic services and development initiatives.

The elections were conducted in a peaceful atmosphere amid tight security arrangements, with no untoward incidents reported. The outcome has been projected by BJP leaders as a mandate for stable and decisive civic governance, while the opposition is left to reassess its strategy in the Union Territory’s municipal politics.