Pooja Wadhwa makes History as Abohar's 1st Woman Mayor

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Wednesday, 22 July 2026

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pooja Wadhwa has been elected as the first woman Mayor of the Abohar Municipal Corporation, creating history in the city's civic administration. Her election is an important step for the municipal corporation as she is the first female to hold the highest elected position in the corporation since its inception.

After weeks of uncertainty and postponing the election, it ended on Tuesday. The Polling took place in accordance with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which put an end to the prolonged delay in forming the leadership of the Municipal Corporation. The election was held peacefully, and the corporation would get its first mayor and deputy mayors.

In addition to Pooja's election to the Mayor's post, the BJP won the elections for the Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, when Dharmveer Malkat and Deepak Chhapola were elected to these posts. This outcome has helped the BJP maintain its dominance in the civic body with control over three key positions in the Abohar Municipal Corporation.

Key Highlights

• Pooja Wadhwa becomes the first woman Mayor of Abohar Municipal Corporation
• BJP secures all three top civic posts, including Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor
• The election, held after High Court directions, ends weeks of political and administrative delay

Abohar Municipal Corporation has 50 elected councilors and an ex-officio member from Abohar Assembly constituency. The corporation was founded in 2019 and it had the first civic elections in 2021. Pooja's election as the first woman mayor of the city is seen as a milestone in the city's political history and a significant move towards increased representation of women in local governance.

The election was also a political one, following a series of legal wrangles and administrative delays. The High Court's action helped clear the path for the electoral process to be completed, following a series of earlier mayoralty elections which were postponed due to controversy. Tuesday's election was carried out in a smooth manner, providing clarity in the civic body's leadership and allowing newly elected representatives to take office.

On the heels of the results, the BJP leaders called BJP's overall support reflected among elected Councilors in Abohar. The leaders of the Punjab BJP welcomed the result, while pointing out that Pooja's election was a historic moment for the city and an important milestone for women's political engagement in urban local bodies of Punjab.

During her tenure as Mayor, Pooja will be responsible for the civic administration of the corporation, such as the management of urban infrastructure, cleanliness, public services, and the development of the city. Her leadership coincides with Abohar, an important commercial centre in the Fazilka district of Punjab, being busy with civic amenities and urban infrastructure of its residents.