Uttarakhand Election Result: Aarti Bhandari, an independent candidate, has made history by winning the mayoral election for the newly established Srinagar Municipal Corporation. She defeated BJP candidate Asha Upadhyay by a significant margin of 1,639 votes, securing her position as the first mayor of the corporation.
In the election results, Aarti Bhandari received a total of 7,959 votes, while Asha Upadhyay garnered 6,320 votes. The election also saw 483 invalid votes and 90 votes cast for NOTA (None of the Above). Coming in third place was independent candidate Poonam Tiwari with 2,633 votes, followed by Congress candidate Meena Rawat with 2,075 votes. UKD candidate Saraswati Devi received just 243 votes.
After her victory, Aarti expressed deep gratitude to her supporters and pledged to fulfil all the promises made in her manifesto. She previously served as the Block Pramukh of Khirsu and as a member of the Zila Panchayat.
Following her win, Aarti celebrated with a rally through the city, accompanied by her supporters. She visited the Kamleshwar Mahadev temple to offer her thanks. The victory procession wound through various parts of the city, including the national highway, creating a festive atmosphere among her supporters.
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Independent candidates dominated the local elections, winning a significant number of council positions. Out of the 40 wards in the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, independent candidates were elected in 18 wards, while the BJP secured 16 councillors and Congress managed only six. One BJP candidate, Shankarmani Mishra, was elected unopposed from ward number 14.
The election results indicate a shift in public trust, as many voters opted for independent candidates over traditional parties like BJP and Congress. Aarti Bhandari's husband, Lakhpat Bhandari, who was previously the district vice president of the BJP, played a crucial role in her campaign. He was expelled from the party just before the elections for opposing it, yet his influence was evident as many BJP members supported Aarti.
Lakhpat Bhandari, who has been active in promoting issues related to the Sanatan and the safety of Hindu daughters, stated that their victory reflects the will of the people. He stated that their campaign focused on Hindutva and development. The couple's efforts appeared to resonate with voters, as Aarti consistently led in the vote counting process, outperforming BJP candidates in nearly every ward.
Despite facing strong opposition from seasoned politicians, including BJP's cabinet minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat and Congress's former state president Ganesh Godiyal, Lakhpat Bhandari's leadership in the campaign proved effective. He successfully positioned his wife as a candidate of choice for the electorate.