Uttarakhand's lone independent mayor, 10 councillors join BJP

Uttarakhand's only independent mayor, Aarti Bhandari of Srinagar, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with ten councillors. The move significantly bolsters the BJP's presence, giving the party mayors in all 11 municipal corporations in the state.

“

The arrival of the mayor and 10 councillors has infused new energy into the party.

State BJP president Mahendra Bhatt and cabinet minister Dhan Singh Rawat welcomed the new members, including two Congress councillors from Srinagar, at the party's headquarters in Dehradun. Bhatt expressed that the influx of the mayor and councillors would inject new energy into the party, aiming for a decisive victory in the 2027 assembly elections.

“

Grateful to the BJP’s state leadership and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for welcoming her into the party.

Bhandari stated her ideological alignment with the BJP remained strong despite contesting municipal elections independently due to circumstances. Her husband, Lakhpat Bhandari, also joined the BJP, noting his commitment to the party's ideology despite overtures from other parties. Minister Rawat highlighted the benefit of a "triple-engine" government, referring to improved coordination between the central government, state government, and municipal corporations, which he said would benefit Srinagar.

“

her ideological alignment with the BJP had remained intact despite contesting the municipal elections independently due to circumstances at the time.

Rawat also announced a forthcoming membership drive in Srinagar, targeting the induction of approximately 1,000 new members. He pointed to ongoing development projects, including a ₹72 crore scheme for round-the-clock water supply in the municipal area, as evidence of the government's commitment to the region.

“

Srinagar would now benefit from a “triple-engine” government, referring to coordination between the Centre, state government and municipal corporation.