Former mayor and senior councillor Arun Sood was on Friday declared as the new President of Chandigarh Bharatiya Janata Party.
Sood, who will serve the party city unit for next three years, was elected unanimously a day after filing his nomination for the top post.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal announced Sood’s name as the new President in Sector 33 party office here while stating that no other nomination was filed for the top post.
Sood replaced Sanjay Tandon, who is the longest serving Chandigarh BJP President. Tandon remained on the post for ten years since January 18, 2010.
48 years old Sood is an advocate by profession. He had joined RSS in 1987 and worked in ABVP from 1989 to 2000. In the past, he had served as State Secretary and State Vice President of ABVP Punjab, National Executive Member for several years, State General Secretary BJYM Punjab.He was appointed the State Secretary of the city BJP in 2007 and the State General Secretary in 2010. Sood was elected as councillor in December 2011 for the first time. He served as Chandigarh’s mayor in 2016 and was also re-elected as councillor in the same year in December.
While speaking after taking over the top post in the city BJP, Arun Sood said that his priority would be keeping the momentum of party’s victories maintained under the tenure of Sanjay Tandon.
Commenting on the news reports related to factionalism in Chandigarh BJP, Sood asked party workers to work unitedly, asserting that there is only one faction here which is Chandigarh BJP. The party is united, he added.He also thanked Tandon and local MP Kirron Kher after his election as party President.It is an open secret that the city BJP unit has been struggling due to factionalism with Sanjay Tandon and Kirron Kher heading two separate factions. Sood is considered close to Tandon and also, enjoys support of Kirron Kher. However, it remains to be seen how Sood brings together both factions of the party during his tenure.
Notably, during Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year, differences between the two camps were quite visible. As Tandon was also in the race to get party’s ticket, the Central leadership had to delay the announcement of the candidate’s name to prevent a possible rebellion in the party.
Tandon’s tenure as BJP city president has remained successful with two consecutive victories in Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and 2019 and victory in civic body polls held in the year 2016 but he failed to end infighting and factionalism in the party.
His first term was from January 18, 2010 till January 15, 2013. Tandon’s term was later extended to 2016 which was his second term as the President. His term was extended for the third time in 2016 in view of Municipal Corporation elections during that year.
