BJP wrests Chandigarh mayor's post after 15 years

Chandigarh, Jan 8: The BJP bagged the post of the mayor of Chandigarh after a gap of 15 years when Arun Sood, the joint candidate of the BJP-Akali Dal alliance, was elected on Friday.

Sood defeated his rival from the Congress, Mukesh Bassi, by six votes.

The BJP won all three posts of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has 35 councillors, including nine nominated councillors. One vote is that of the Chandigarh MP, BJP's Kirron Kher.

Of the 36 votes polled on Friday, Sood got 21 and Bassi 15 votes.

The BJP's Davish Moudgil was elected senior deputy mayor while Hardeep Singh was elected the deputy mayor.

The stakes were high for the BJP this time, and top BJP and Akali Dal leaders, including Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, campaigning for the combine candidates.

Though the BJP-Akali Dal has 15 councillors in the 35-member house, the nine nominated councillors played a key role. The Congress has been winning the mayor's post in the last few years.

IANS