The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) got its first mayor on Tuesday— Vimal Yadav, 32. Parminder Kataria was elected deputy mayor and Yashpal Batra was elected senior deputy mayor — both businessmen in their mid-30s. They belong to the Congress though they had contested as independent candidates in the municipal elections.
The election was riddled with numerous problems, including a court case over delay in holding the poll and allegations of horse trading.
"Gurgaon needs to be developed at all fronts now. Being the first mayor, I will try to change the face of Gurgaon," said Vimal Yadav.
Of the 35 councillors who turned up to vote, six from the Indian National Lok Dal abstained, alleging horse-trading. Of the rest 29 councillors, at least 20 supported Vimal Yadav. A similar tally was reached for the deputy mayor's post, when Parminder Kataria was voted to power by 20 councillors. Senior deputy mayor Yashpal Batra got 19 votes.
The election for the mayor was marked by high drama, with supporters of all 35 councillors thronging the Huda Gymkhana Club, disrupting traffic on the route by their cavalcade of luxury cars and SUVs.
Commuters faced a huge traffic jam near Signature Tower Crossing in the first half of the day as vehicles were parked along the road sides near the venue of the election which was being conducted more than a month after the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) held its first-ever councillors' poll.
{{/usCountry}}Commuters faced a huge traffic jam near Signature Tower Crossing in the first half of the day as vehicles were parked along the road sides near the venue of the election which was being conducted more than a month after the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) held its first-ever councillors' poll.
{{/usCountry}}The atmosphere had gotten more charged when all six INLD supported candidates walked out to boycott the procedure.