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.

Updated on: Mar 12, 2025, 14:05:25 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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