Chandigarh, January 30: The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) won the Chandigarh mayor election 2024 on Tuesday, January 30. BJP's Manoj Sonkar won the mayoral post by defeating AAP's Kuldeep Dhalor Tita, who was backed by Congress too. Together, the AAP and Congress has 20 councilors. However, Tita received 12 votes against Sonkar's 16 as eight votes were declared invalid. Post results, the AAP made serious allegations against Presiding Officer Anil Masih.
Reacting to the results, Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann said Presiding Officer Anil Masih is an officer bearer of the BJP. "Anil Masih is the Head of the BJP Minority Wing. They made their officer bearer the presiding officer. On 18th January he said that he had a problem in his spine so he couldn't come (for election). Today, I came to know that he was absolutely right. Actually, he didn't even have a spine. He is spineless. If he had a spine, he would have counted (the votes) properly," Mann told media persons.
Meanwhile, a photo purportedly showing Anil Masih receiving a bouquet on being appointed as President of BJP's Minority Morcha also surfaced on social media. The AAP also alleged that Masih broke rules and did not show invalid votes to the election agents of parties contesting polls.
Chandigarh Mayor Election:
In a 35-member house of the Municipal Corporation, the BJP has 14 councillors, with another vote of member of Parliament and ex-officio member Kirron Kher. The AAP has 13 councillors, while the Congress holds seven. The Shiromani Akali Dal has one councillor in the House. All 36 votes were polled, comprising the vote of local MP Kirron Kher, who was the first to cast vote.
The election to the post of mayor was scheduled to be held on January 18. However, it was postponed to February 6 as Presiding Officer got sick. Later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the election be held on January 30.
