The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its candidate for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, naming former party’s Chandigarh unit chief, Sanjay Tandon, for the upcoming elections. This announcement marks a significant departure from the party’s previous choice, as it drops sitting MP and actor Kirron Kher from the contest.
Kirron Kher, who was selected by the party in 2014 and successfully won the seat in both 2014 and 2019, faced controversy during her tenure. Several videos of Kher making derogatory remarks about the people of Chandigarh circulated widely, along with instances where she was captured on camera displaying rude behavior towards constituents.
In contrast, Sanjay Tandon, who also serves as the co-in charge of the Himachal Pradesh BJP, brings with him a wealth of experience. Tandon has served as the city party president for nearly a decade, demonstrating a strong commitment to party affairs and local governance.
The decision to nominate Tandon came after the city party unit forwarded the names of former MP Satya Pal Jain, along with ex-party presidents Sanjay Tandon and Arun Sood, to the party’s high command for consideration. This selection process followed one-on-one meetings conducted by Manthri Srinivasulu, general secretary (organisation) for Punjab and Chandigarh, who engaged with local leaders and councillors to gauge their preferences for the candidate.
With Sanjay Tandon now poised to represent the BJP in the upcoming elections, the party aims to rejuvenate its campaign in Chandigarh, emphasizing a new direction and leadership for the Union Territory.