In a major embarrassment for the Congress, party candidate for the post of Dy. Mayor Sudhir Azaad lost to the rebel Congressman Harish Janartha by 3 votes. The post of Mayor was won by Madhu Sood who polled 10 votes and the rebel Congress candidate Seema Chauhan got 9 votes while the BJP candidate Manju Sood got 6 votes. BJP too was not spared of the shock as it has 8 councilors in the House.

A major drama unfolded before the elections as the Congress declared Madhu Sood and Sudhir Azad as party candidates for the post of Mayor and Dy. Mayor. Other councilors rebelled against this decision and Seema Chauhan and Harish Janartha the rebel Congress candidates pledged support of majority of the councilors in front of the senior party leaders, Kaul Singh and Vidya Stokes.

Seema Chauhan and Harish Janartha owe their alliance to the Virbhadra Singh camp of the Congress. The fact that Madhu Sood won after 2 BJP councilors voted for her and the entire BJP councilors abstained when voting for the Dy. Mayor post happened in which Harish Janartha won.

With the official congress candidate losing the deputy mayor’s election, Kaul Singh was quoted in the media saying the matter of indiscipline among the councilors would be put before disciplinary committee for necessary action.

Madhu Sood is the second lady Mayor of Shimla with Jaini Prem being the first one when the seat was reserved for a woman from the reserved category.

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