BJP councillors divided over decision

Sources said councillor Saurabh Joshi, who was one of the front runners for the post of mayor, refused when he was offered the candidature of deputy mayor.

Though senior BJP leaders tried their best to keep different camps of the city unit happy by giving mayor’s candidature to Arun Sood and that of senior deputy mayor to Davesh Moudgil, the declaration has not gone well with some party councillors.

Sources said councillor Saurabh Joshi, who was one of the front runners for the post of mayor, refused when he was offered the candidature of deputy mayor. There are four camps within the party – one led by BJP chief Sanjay Tandon, the other by former MP Satya Pal Jain, one by former Union minister Harmohan Dhawan and one by MP Kirron Kher. Sood is backed by Tandon, while Moudgil is backed by Jain.

For the post of senior deputy mayor, name of councillor Sat Prakash Aggarwal was almost finalised. However, Moudgil’s name was shortlisted finally. The nominated councillors who are the kingmakers have remained against the BJP in the past, as the party had opposed most of their proposed projects.

Few BJP councillors had opposed Sood’s name during meetings with senior leaders. “We had opposed Sood’s name, as most of the councillors were against his candidature. A name should have been decided after taking an unanimous decision to ensure that there is unity during the election and no factionalism, the way it did last year,” said a councillor.

Sood had contested the Mayoral elections in 2013 but had lost to Congress candidate. Few days ago, after the name of Sood was doing the rounds for the candidature, an audio clip was released wherein a voice, allegedly said to be of Sood, was heard passing comments against fellow BJP councillor Satinder Singh. Sood said it was a ploy of the opposition parties to malign his image ahead of the mayor elections.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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