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Chandigarh mayoral elections: AAP, Cong mull joining forces against BJP
In the 35-member house, both AAP and BJP have 14 members each, six members are from the Congress and SAD has a lone councillor. To be elected, a mayoral candidate must muster at least 19 votes.
The Aam Aadmi Party and Congress are likely to join forces against the Bharatiya Janata Party for mayoral elections slated to take place on January 17.
In the 35-member house, both AAP and BJP have 14 members each, six members are from the Congress and SAD has a lone councillor. To be elected, a mayoral candidate must muster at least 19 votes.
A person privy to the development said, “As per the agreement between the parties, the mayor will be an AAP councillor, while the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor will go to Congress’ councillors. With the 2024 Lok Sabha polls slated to take place in 2024, neither the Congress nor the AAP want the mayor’s post to go to the BJP.”
An AAP councillor, who did not wish to be named, said, “Over the past year, the mayor, who was from the BJP, failed on all fronts. We will seek support from the Congress. This time, the mayor will be from AAP.”
Similarly, a Congress councillor, requesting anonymity, said, “This time, we will make sure the BJP is defeated. Over the last year, development works in the city have suffered a lot. As for joining hands with the AAP, only the high command can take a decision on it.”
Elections for the three posts are held every year during the five-year term of the MC House. This time, the mayor will be elected for the second term.
The first term is reserved for a woman candidate from the general category, the second is for any candidate from the general category, the third is for a candidate from the scheduled caste category, the fourth is for a woman candidate from general category, and the fifth is for the general category.
Front runners for the top post include AAP’s Yogesh Dhingra (leader of opposition), Jasbir Singh and Damanpreet Sing, BJP’s Mahesh Inder Sidhu, Saurabh Joshi, Anup Gupta, and Dalip Singh, and Congress’ Gurpreet Singh Gabi.
