Manesar voters chose to go with an Independent candidate as their mayor. In the March 2 polls, Dr. Inderjeet Yadav defeated BJP's Sunder Lal by over 2,200 votes to become the first mayor of Manesar. This was the first mayoral election for Manesar Municipal Corporation after the formation of the civic body in 2020.
The BJP candidate lost the election despite large-scale campaigning by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar among others. The saffron party, however, swept the civic body polls in Haryana, bagging nine of the ten mayoral seats.
Who is Dr. Inderjeet Yadav?
Considered a close aide of Union Minister of State and BJP veteran Rao Inderjit Singh, Dr. Yadav has been actively engaged in social work since 2019. She is the daughter of a retired army officer Gurudev Singh and holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree.
Mayor-elect Dr. Inderjeet Yadav also played a role during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls wherein she campaigned for Rao Inderjit Singh in Gurgaon. Singh emerged victorious from the constituency for the fourth consecutive time.
Dr. Yadav's efforts probably did not go unnoticed as Rao Inderjit Singh had even recommended the former's candidature for the Manesar mayoral poll to the party, claim BJP sources. However, the party ignored his recommendation and decided to field Sunder Lal instead. Rao Inderjit Singh never campaign for for the BJP campaigned.
Inderjeet, who is known for her oratory skills, claims she worked for the needy during the pandemic, especially helping people from the Purvanchal region by providing them ration, transport and medical facilities, The Indian Express reported.
The mayor-elect says she has got 'considerable support' from Purvanchalis living in Manesar on account of her social service.
A survey, conducted for the BJP, reportedly pointed to Dr. Yadav's "bright prospects" if she ran for Manesar's Mayor.
As the mayor, Dr. Inderjeet Yadav says, her priority will be to cure the city of its civic mess. "I will try to resolve various problems related to roads, streets, drinking water supply, drainage system, traffic lights and transportation in Manesar town," she told The Indian Express.
During the election, her opponents tried to corner her by flagging criminal cases registered against her husband Rakesh Hayatpuria in the past. However, her supporters claimed that there have not been any active cases lodged against him. Hayatpuria has been engaged in dairy farming and real estate business.
After she won the mayoral polls, Dr. Yadav attributed her success to her direct involvement with people in her area. "While many were busy securing a party ticket, I was on the ground, hearing out people's concerns and working on real issues. This victory is a result of the trust and support people have for me. Voters choose those who remain among them and work for their betterment, not just showing affiliation with any political party," she told The Times of India.
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