Shimla:
BJP supported councillors Satya Kaundal and Shailendra Chauhan were on Thursday elected the Shimla mayor and deputy mayor respectively.
Kaundal, a councillor from Sanjauli, polled 21 votes and defeated her Congress supported rival Rakesh Chauhan with a margin of 10 votes.
This is for the first time that a former municipal corporation employee has been elected the mayor of Shimla. Kaundal has served as a clerk in the municipal corporation.
Dhalli councillor Shailendra Chauhan polled 21 votes and defeated his Congress supported rival Sushma Kuthiala for the deputy mayor post.
All 21 BJP supported and 11 Congress supported councillors on Wednesday took part in the voting held for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in the supervision of director of urban development department at Bachat Bhawan here. The lone CPM councillor and an independent councillor abstained from voting.
The tenure of mayor and deputy mayor in the Shimla Municipal Corporation is of two and a half year. BJP supported councillor Kusum Sadrate became the mayor in 2017 as the post then was reserved for the Scheduled Caste community.
This time, the mayor was supposed to be elected from the Scheduled Tribe community but due to the absence of any ST councillor, the election for the post was held in the open category.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur congratulated the newly-elected mayor and deputy mayor.
The ruling BJP state president Satpal Satti also extended his greetings to Kaundal and Chauhan.
