Haryana civic polls: Manesar gets first mayor, BJP wins in Gurugram

The polls, held on March 2, witnessed a low voter turnout of just 41%, with the Panipat mayoral election separately conducted on March 9.

Independent candidate Dr Inderjit Yadav became the first ever mayor of Manesar after defeating Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate Sunder Lal by a margin of 2,293 votes. Yadav secured 26,393 votes, while Lal got 24,100 votes. This marks a significant political shift as Manesar has now chosen an independent candidate over a national party such as the BJP.

Women voters show their inked finger after casting their ballot for during the civic body elections in Gurugram on March 2. (Parveen Kumar/ HT Photo)

Meanwhile, the counting of votes for the Haryana municipal elections 2025 is underway across various corporations, councils, municipal committees in the state. The polls, held on March 2, witnessed a low voter turnout of just 41%, with the Panipat mayoral election separately conducted on March 9.

The municipal elections have seen a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress. In Gurugram, the elections were conducted for ward members and mayor, with BJP aiming for a decisive majority in the newly expanded Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), which now comprises 36 wards, up from the previous term.

Authorities have put stringent security measures in place to ensure a smooth and transparent counting process. Speaking about the arrangements, Gurugram deputy commissioner of police (West) Karan Goel said, “We have set up all the necessary facilities, and government employees have been assigned counting duties. The counting for the mayor will take place first, followed by the counting for ward members. Security forces have been deployed at all counting centres to prevent any disruption.”

Gurugram: BJP’s Raj Rani elected mayor

Raj Rani Malhotra of the Bharatiya Janata Party has been elected as the mayor of Gurugram with a decisive margin of 1,49,990 votes. She secured 2,15,754 votes, while her closest competitor, Seema Pahuja of the Congress, managed to garner 65,764 votes.