Chandigarh, July 2
The Congress ‘hand’ was clearly visible in the victory of the newly elected mayors of the five municipal corporations of Ambala, Karnal, Rohtak, Yamunanagar and Hisar, elections to which were held today.

While Ramesh Mal, a protégé of Ambala city MLA Venod Sharma, was elected mayor of the Ambala city municipal corporation (MC), Shakuntala Rajaliwala, a confidante of former Haryana minister Savitri Jindal, emerged victorious in the election to the post of the mayor of the Hisar MC.

Independent councillor Saroj Bala, supported by the Congress, was elected mayor of the Yamunanagar MC, while Congress-supported Renu Dabla was elected mayor of Rohtak MC, the home district of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Renu Bala, an HJC-supported Independent whose husband is a former Congress man, was elected mayor of the Karnal MC.

Elections for the posts of mayor of Panipat and Panchkula are scheduled for July 3 and 4.