Punjab: Notification issued, mayor election in a month
Punjab: The much-awaited ‘roster system’ for reservation of SC, BC and women candidates for mayor posts in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Phagwara, Ludhiana and Patiala municipal corporations was notified on Tuesday evening. Elections to these civic bodies were held on December 21 last year. According to orders issued by the Special Secretary-cum-Director of Local Government, the post of mayor in Ludhiana has been reserved for women candidates under the Punjab Reservation Rules-2017 for the posts of mayors of municipal corporations. The top post in the other four corporations has been reserved for general category candidates. As soon as the notification for the mayoral election was issued, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress have intensified their efforts to keep their councillors united and “win over” others to get their candidates elected as mayors. The opposition Congress alleged that the ruling party was indulging in horse-trading to garner a majority. The divisional commissioners of Ludhiana and Patiala have been asked to start proceedings for the election of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. Sources in the government said the mayoral elections are due within a month. None of the stakeholder political parties – be it AAP, Congress or BJP – have an absolute majority in Ludhiana, Phagwara and Amritsar municipal corporations.
In the 85-member Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, AAP has claimed majority with 44 votes as six councillors – two each from BJP and Congress and two independents – have joined the party. AAP is also in majority in Patiala Municipal Corporation. “It is not that AAP does not have majority in many municipal corporations but the notification has been delayed due to fear of cross voting by party councillors because of differences among party leaders over selection of mayoral candidates,” claimed Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantt Pargat Singh. In Ludhiana, AAP is making all-out efforts to declare its majority after talks between Congress and BJP failed to form a municipal corporation. Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has 95 wards and 48 councillors are required to form the House. The AAP won 41 seats, Congress 30, BJP 19 and SAD two while three seats were won by independents. Congress’ maths went awry in Amritsar as four independent councillors joined the AAP. However, no party could prove majority in the House, which has 85 councillors and five MLA members. The AAP now has 28 councillors and five MLAs. The AAP leadership is reportedly trying to add two more members from Jandiala and Attari constituencies, as their areas fall under the municipal corporation jurisdiction, to take the number to 35 in the upcoming House. The Congress has 40 councillors. It has got the support of two independent councillors while two other independent councillors are yet to open their cards. Vikas Soni, nephew of former deputy chief minister OP Soni, brother of former Amritsar (North) MLA Sunil Datti and former opposition leader Raj Kanwal Preet are in the race for the mayor’s post.
The AAP hopes that the rift among Congress leaders will prove beneficial for it. Also, both parties are eyeing nine councillors of BJP and four of Akali Dal. In the 50-ward Phagwara Municipal Corporation, anyone’s luck can shine. While the Congress claims that it has touched the required number for the mayor, the leaders of AAP, which has just 12 councillors, are also not giving up the party’s claim on the top post. In the elections held last month, the Congress had won 22 wards and was four seats short of reaching the required number. After an independent candidate joined the Congress and three winners of the BSP assured support, party MLA Balwinder S Dhaliwal claimed that he is ready to lead the new municipal corporation house. An AAP insider revealed that the party is confident of getting the support of all four councillors of the BJP, all three winners of the Akali Dal and at least one of the six independent candidates. Moreover, differences among Congress leaders over the selection of the mayor candidate may lead to cross-voting. Notification for election to the top posts of 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats has also been issued. The post of chairman in the municipal council of Mullanpur Dakha has been reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. In Rampura Phul, it is reserved for women including Scheduled Caste candidates. The top post in the nagar panchayats of Ghaneri is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, Khemkaran (women) and Mahilpur (BC). For the remaining municipal bodies, general category candidates are eligible to contest for the top post.
