Chandigarh Mayoral poll: Who will have its way, BJP or AAP?

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4

With the Congress deciding not to fight the mayoral poll and abstain from voting on January 8, it will be a two-cornered contest between the BJP and AAP.

Councillors of both parties filed their nominations for the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Baring one, all other five candidates, including two for the post of Mayor, are first-time councillors. The seat of Mayor is reserved for a woman this year.

Both sides have 14 votes in their kitty, while the Congress, with seven votes, has opted out and the SAD, with one councillor, will take a call on voting on January 6.

In case of a tie, a toss will be held to decide the winner.

There were earlier rumours that councillor Harpreet Kaur Babla may be the BJP candidate for the post of Mayor. She said, “At the very start of our party meeting today, I said I am not here for any post and will not contest this time.”

Councillor and city SAD president Hardeep Singh said, “We will decide on voting on January 6 at a meeting with Sukhbir Badal.” SAD’s vote could be the game changer as the two contesting sides have equal votes.

However, the equations may be different due to invalid votes or cross-voting. For the next three days before the poll, parties may try to woo each other’s councillors. It is the first time in the 25-year history of the MC that no party has got a majority. Either the Congress or the BJP were in majority earlier.

‘Had it fought, Cong wouldn’t have got own votes’

Councillor Harpreet Kaur Babla said, “The Congress has run away from the mayoral poll. Not fielding a candidate for the Mayor’s post shows its nervousness and fear that it would not have been able to get its own seven votes.”

However, city Congress president Subhash Chawla, who is in Rajasthan with seven councillors and their families, claimed, “We got information about the nominations very late and we were around 600 km away from Chandigarh. We are going to abstain from voting as the two parties did not show interest in our support.”

Jan 8 mayoral poll: How parties are placed

BJP: 14* | AAP: 14 | Cong: 7 (Not to contest & vote) | SAD: 1 (Yet to decide on voting) | In case of tie: Toss will be held

*13 councillors and vote of ex officio member i.e. local MP Kirron Kher

Know your Mayor candidates

Sarabjit Kaur Dhillon, councillor (ward 6)

• Studied till BA (second year)
• Married to Jagtar Singh Dhillon, lives in Mani Majra
• A housewife, active in ward development works
• Her husband was the councillor in the previous term from this ward.
• Since seat was reserved for woman, his wife contested

Anju Katyal, councillor (ward 22)

• A graduate
• Housewife; involved in social work
• Joined AAP one year ago
• She, along with her husband, had one of the highest moveable and immovable assets worth Rs9.82 crore
• Her husband Satish Katyal is into real estate business

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