I.N.D.I.A. Alliance Faces Setback as BJP Claims Chandigarh Mayoral Seat

BJP’s Manoj Sonkar won the Chandigarh mayoral polls with 16 votes against the Congress-AAP candidate Kuldeep Tita’s 12 votes.

Eight votes were invalid. Protests erupted against presiding authority Anil Masih, leading to marshals’ intervention. This marks the first electoral challenge for the Opposition’s INDIA alliance against the BJP, featuring the maiden AAP-Congress alliance.

The delay in voting, attributed to the late arrival of the deputy commissioner and some BJP councillors, preceded an hour-long polling process. MP Kirron Kher cast the first vote in the presence of 36 total votes. The mayor will oversee elections for Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor.