CHANDIGARH, 30 JAN

The BJP on Thursday won the post of mayor while Congress candidates, backed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), bagged the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor posts in the high-stakes Chandigarh mayoral elections.

The contest was between the BJP and the Congress–AAP combine. The AAP was fighting for the post of mayor while the Congress was contesting for the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.

The BJP's Harpreet Kaur Babla was elected as the new mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation after she defeated AAP-nominee Prem Lata. Babla secured 19 votes while Lata got 17 votes.

Presiding officer Ramneek Singh Bedi announced the results.

Congress candidate Jasbir Singh Bunty won the post of senior deputy mayor, defeating BJP's Bimla Dubey. Bunty polled 19 while Dubey got 17 votes.

Congress nominee Taruna Mehta was elected deputy mayor, defeating BJP contestant Lakhbir Singh Billu. Mehta got 19 while Billu secured 17 votes.

The victory of the BJP candidate in the elections for the post of mayor indicated that cross-voting took place during polling.

In the 35-member house of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, AAP has 13 councillors and its ally Congress has six councillors. The BJP has a strength of 16 councillors.

The Chandigarh MP also has a voting right as an ex-officio member. Manish Tewari is the sitting MP of the Congress.

After Babla's name was announced as the new mayor, the BJP councillors congratulated her for her victory.

After the election of the mayor, polling for the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor took place.