Arun Sood youngest city BJP chief

Chandigarh, January 17

Former Mayor and councillor Arun Sood was unanimously elected the new president of the city BJP today.

Sood, the youngest to become the city BJP chief, was the only one to file nomination for the post yesterday. He replaced Sanjay Tandon, who was the city BJP chief for 10 years. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar made the announcement at the party office in Sector 33 here.

BJP national secretary and poll observer Y Satya Kumar, Tandon, MP Kirron Kher and Mayor Raj Bala Malik were among those present on the occasion. Councillor Davesh Moudgil, who was one of the contenders for the post, was not seen at the event, exposing factionalism in the party.

Despite no political background, Sood has reached the top post of the city BJP. His father retired as a principal and mother as a teacher. He joined the RSS in 1987. He was introduced to the city politics by Khattar and Tandon. Sood remained general secretary of the BJYM, Punjab, from 2000 to 2003, the state secretary of the city BJP in 2007 and the general secretary in 2010. He was elected councillor in December 2011 and Mayor in 2016. The 48-year-old leader is a lawyer by profession. — TNS