The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has achieved a major political triumph in the Union Territory of Chandigarh as its candidate, Saurabh Joshi, has been elected as the new Mayor on Thursday, January 29, 2026, in a peaceful and closely followed mayoral election. The election has seen the full participation of municipal councillors, which is a sign of a smooth democratic process.
After winning the election, people started looking for his educational qualifications and political career. So, here is a look at his academic background and political journey.
Saurabh Joshi’s political career is a mix of grassroots politics and ideological commitment. According to an India Today report, he is a law graduate from Panjab University. Joshi is a second-generation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) swayamsevak and has been associated with the BJP for many years. Joshi’s foray into politics began during his student days, where he was actively involved in campus politics. He contested elections for the posts of President and General Secretary of the Panjab University Student Council as a candidate of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which is the BJP’s student wing.
At the age of 29, Joshi was elected as a BJP councillor, which is a major achievement in his political career. Since then, he has been steadily rising in the ranks of the BJP, earning recognition for his organisational abilities and his connection with party workers. His political rise is also influenced by a strong family background in the BJP. He is the son of the late Jai Ram Joshi, a former State President of the BJP Chandigarh, who was widely respected across party lines and is remembered fondly as the “Mahatma Gandhi of Chandigarh” for his simplicity and public service.
Saurav's statement
After winning the mayoral polls, Saurabh told ANI, "Given the manner in which the senior leadership placed their trust in me and gave me the opportunity, I would like to tell the booth-level BJP workers that I sat at the booth for the first time in 1989, and today the senior leadership made me reach this post."
Number of votes
The BJP has won a clear majority, with Joshi bagging 18 votes, while the Aam Aadmi Party won 11 votes and the Congress won 7 votes.
