BJP's Surprise Win in Chandigarh Mayoral Election

In a surprising twist, BJP's Harpreet Kaur Babla won the Chandigarh mayoral elections despite AAP-Congress alliance's numerical advantage. Cross-voting played a crucial role, with BJP gaining extra votes. While BJP secured the mayor, AAP-Congress candidates won deputy mayoral positions, showcasing a mixed political outcome.

Dealing a significant blow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-Congress coalition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a surprise victory in the Chandigarh mayoral elections on Thursday. The triumph was attributed to cross-voting, which saw BJP's Harpreet Kaur Babla defeat AAP's Prem Lata with a final tally of 19-17 votes.

Despite having a combined strength of 20 votes in the 35-member Municipal Corporation, the AAP-Congress alliance experienced a setback. However, they managed to win the senior deputy and deputy mayor positions with Congress candidates Jasbir Singh Bunty and Taruna Mehta outdoing their BJP counterparts.

The political landscape in Chandigarh remains dynamic, with BJP's triumph indicating a public shift. While the party celebrated the mayoral win, both Congress and AAP pledged to investigate internal cross-voting and address any disloyalty. Babla promised a comprehensive roadmap for city development, highlighting plans to revolutionize infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies.)