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Chandigarh municipal corporation elections: AAP wins 4 wards, leads on 3; BJP, Cong trail
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trailing in two wards of the Chandigarh civic body and leading on three others, the state EC data also showed.
The Aam Aadmi Party' Damanpreet Singh on Monday defeated sitting mayor of Chandigarh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Kant Sharma as counting for Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls was underway. With this, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has secured a win over five wards so far, while the BJP and the Congress both have won just two each, according to the state election commission.
The AAP which contesting the polls for the first time is also leading on three other wards.
Ravi Kant Sharma lost his seat to Damanpreet Singh from ward number 17 by a margin of 828 votes, according to the state EC data. On ward number 21, AAP candidate Jasbir defeated former mayor and BJP mayor Devesg Mudgil by a margin of 939 votes.
The BJP was trailing in two wards of the Chandigarh civic body and leading on three others, the state EC data also showed.
The Congress secured a win at two wards and maintained a lead on two other seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has so far secured the lead on just one seat.
Speaking on the early trends, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia thanked the voters for the mandate. “According to the current trends, the people of Chandigarh have given us a grand welcome. I want to thank every voter and party worker for this," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
Traditionally, the municipal election - held every five years - sees a locking of horns between the BJP and the Congress but the entry of AAP in Punjab this year has made the contest triangular this time.
The BJP holds a majority in the current municipal body. In the last MC elections, the BJP won 20 seats and its erstwhile ally Shiromani Akali Dal 1. The Congress managed to win only four seats.
Sixty per cent polling was recorded in the elections for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, which was held on Friday. About 6.3 lakh voters, including three lakh women, were eligible to cast votes.
The highest 72.81 per cent polling was recorded in Ward 16 while Ward 23 witnessed 42.66 per cent poll percentage which was the lowest, the statement said.
