In a surprising move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced Sanjay Tandon as its candidate from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, replacing the two-time sitting Member of Parliament Kirron Kher.
Sanjay Tandon, aged 60, hails from Sector 18 and is the son of former Punjab BJP leader and Chattisgarh governor Balramji Das Tandon. Known for his extensive tenure as the Chandigarh BJP president from 2010 to 2019, Tandon’s candidacy has stirred various factions within the Chandigarh BJP.
The decision to nominate Tandon caught many within the party off guard, as there were efforts from different quarters to field a “local candidate.” However, Tandon’s track record and political experience seem to have tipped the scales in his favor, despite opposition from some party members.
Tandon had been vying for a ticket for a considerable period, but internal factionalism had previously led to the selection of Kirron Kher as the BJP candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Despite Kher’s assertion of her connection to Chandigarh, she faced criticism from within the party, with some labeling her as an “outsider.”
In the 2014 elections, Kirron Kher secured victory with 1.91 lakh votes, defeating Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal, who garnered 1.21 lakh votes. The Aam Aadmi Party’s Gul Panag also made a notable showing with 1.08 lakh votes. Kher repeated her success in 2019, securing 2.31 lakh votes against Bansal’s 1.84 lakh votes.
With voting scheduled for June 1 and counting on June 4, Sanjay Tandon‘s nomination marks a significant development in the political landscape of Chandigarh. His candidacy brings a blend of experience and local connect, setting the stage for an intriguing electoral contest in the region.