Bitter-sweet: BJP victorious in Gurugram, loses Manesar
The civic elections in the twin corporations of Gurugram and Manesar has left the BJP in a mixed mood. While the party is celebrating its ‘triple-engine’ victory in Gurugram, in Manesar, where despite campaign by big-wigs, the Independents defeated party candidates, and even clinched the seat of Mayor.
The Manesar Municipal Corporation had its first election after four years of its constitution, and out of 20 wards, Independent candidates scored victory in 12. Independent candidate Dr Inderjeet Yadav has been elected the first-ever Mayor of Manesar.
Yadav defeated BJP candidate Sunder Lal by 2,293 votes. He had initially sought a ticket from the BJP and local MP and Central minister Rao Inderjit Singh and Gurugram MLA Mukesh Pehalwan had recommended her name for ticket. The party, however, went for Sunder Lal, who is a confidante of Rao Narbir Singh and former chief minister ML Khattar.
“She was a strong candidate, but the party took recommendations from leaders who have no idea about this political landscape. While all big-wigs campaigned for the BJP in this election, people went for candidates who worked on the ground since the past four years,” said a local BJP leader.
Sources claimed that Independent candidates had started contacting the BJP to switch over to the party, while the party was in touch with Yadav to induct her into the party.
“As of now, I have nothing to say on joining any party, but I am thankful to people for choosing me. We started this election with a vision very similar to the state government’s development plans. Manesar is the most revenue-generating area, but with the biggest civic issues. Things will change now,” said Yadav while speaking to "The Tribune".
Meanwhile, in Gurugram, of the total 36 wards, the BJP won 24 seats, Independents 10, and the Congress and the JJP one each. The party’s mayoral candidate, Raj Rani Malhotra, stole the show with a winning margin of around 1.5 lakh votes.
She secured over 2.15 lakh votes while her closest competitor, Congress candidate Seema Pahuja, got 65,764 votes.
“The party chose a normal resident like me to represent its vision of a Mayor and people have accepted me. I will ensure that the vision of the party about civic infrastructure of the city is materialised,” said Malhotra.
