Chandigarh, Jan. 26 -- Following the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also moved its councillors out of the city amid fears of poaching ahead of the mayoral elections. The BJP has shifted all its 18 councillors to a resort in Morni, Panchkula district, and they are expected to return to the city only on polling day, January 29. A senior BJP leader said that despite the party enjoying a numerical advantage in the 35-member municipal corporation House, there were concerns that rival parties could attempt to lure councillors. "We have the majority, but given the political uncertainty, we cannot take any chances. The councillors have been moved to Morni and will return only on the day of voting," the leader said. Earlier, on January 21, the AAP had shifted 10 of its 11 councillors out of Chandigarh as a precautionary measure. However, they returned to the city the next day, January 22, which was the last date for filing nominations. Meanwhile, with talks between the AAP and the Congress collapsing, candidates from all three parties - the BJP, AAP and Congress - have filed nominations for all three posts in the mayoral elections, paving the way for a triangular contest. Adding to the political churn, AAP councillor Ram Chander Yadav has filed his nomination as an independent candidate for the post of deputy mayor. He, however, asserted that he remains loyal to the AAP and said his move should not be construed as a rebellion against the party. For the mayor's post, the BJP has nominated Saurabh Joshi, 44, while the AAP has fielded Yogesh Dhingra, 36. The Congress has entered the fray with Gurpreet Singh Gabi, 47, as its candidate. Political observers say that if the AAP and the Congress continue to contest separately on polling day, the BJP is well positioned to sweep all three posts - mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor - by benefiting from a split in opposition votes. However, party insidersindicated that backchannel negotiations between the AAP and the Congress are still underway, and there remains a possibility of withdrawals before polling if a consensus is reached. The January 29 election will be the final mayoral poll of the five-year MC House, elected in 2022. It will also mark a significant departure from tradition, as for the first time in Chandigarh's political history, the mayor will be elected through an open show of hands, replacing the secret ballot system....