BJP’s Saurav Joshi Elected Chandigarh Mayor as Congress–AAP Coordination Collapses

The Bharatiya Janata Party has strengthened its political hold in Chandigarh after its candidate Saurav Joshi won the mayoral election on Thursday, securing a clear majority in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. The victory came after opposition parties Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party failed to coordinate their electoral strategy, allowing the BJP to sail through comfortably.

The mayoral election was conducted under the supervision of presiding officer Ramneek Singh Bedi, who laid down standard operating procedures for the voting process. Councillors voted by a show of hands, with each vote being announced verbally and recorded through signatures, ensuring transparency throughout the proceedings.

In the final vote count, the BJP secured 18 votes, exactly matching its numerical strength in the 35-member municipal corporation. The Aam Aadmi Party emerged a distant second with 11 votes, while the Indian National Congress candidate Gurpreet Singh Gabbi received seven votes, which included the support of six councillors and one Member of Parliament.

Following the counting, the presiding officer formally declared Saurav Joshi as the new Mayor of Chandigarh, marking a significant political win for the BJP in a city that has witnessed shifting alliances in recent years.

The outcome was largely shaped by the absence of a united opposition front. In previous mayoral contests, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party had joined hands to challenge the BJP. This time, however, the Congress chose to contest independently, fielding its own candidate and effectively splitting the opposition vote.

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation comprises 35 elected councillors, with the BJP holding 18 seats, AAP 11, and Congress six. In addition, Chandigarh’s Member of Parliament votes in the mayoral election as an ex officio member. Congress MP Manish Tewari exercised this right by voting in favour of the Congress candidate, but the numbers remained firmly in BJP’s favour.

Polling for the posts of mayor, senior deputy mayor, and deputy mayor was conducted earlier in the day. While the mayoral election drew the most attention, the results across posts are being seen as an indicator of the BJP’s organisational strength and numerical advantage within the civic body.

Political observers note that the BJP’s win underscores the importance of coalition management in closely contested urban local bodies. The lack of coordination between Congress and AAP not only weakened the opposition challenge but also highlighted the fragmentation among rival parties in the city.

With Saurav Joshi’s election, the BJP is expected to push forward its civic governance agenda in Chandigarh, focusing on infrastructure development, municipal services, and administrative reforms. The victory also carries broader political significance, as it reinforces the party’s position in a strategically important Union Territory ahead of future electoral contests.