| 1. Manoj Sonkar is an Indian politician known for winning the Chandigarh Mayor elections in 2024. |
| 2. He previously served as the Vice President of Chandigarh SC Morcha of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). |
| 3. Manoj's family relocated to Chandigarh from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh before he was born. |
| 4. He left school at 15-16 years old to support his family after his father's passing, eventually entering politics. |
| 5. In 2021, he became the Vice President of Chandigarh SC Morcha and later the Municipal Councillor of Ward Number 7 in Chandigarh. |
| 6. Manoj's brother Soman Sonkar received a notice for operating a liquor vend in flats allotted by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB). |
| 7. There were rumors linking Manoj to the liquor business, which he denied, stating his brother managed the business independently. |
| 8. He won the Chandigarh Mayor election in 2024 by defeating the AAP candidate with 16 votes against 12 votes. |
| 9. As Mayor, he aimed to clean Dadu Majra garbage dump and focus on city welfare, addressing controversies around the election drama. |
| 10. Manoj resigned as Mayor on 19 February 2024 amidst allegations of misconduct during the election. |
| 11. He was the only mayoral candidate from the BJP belonging to the Schedule Caste (SC). |
| 12. The Supreme Court expressed concern about alleged irregularities in the mayoral election vote-counting process, with the bench noting that the Presiding Officer appeared to have defaced ballot papers. |
