E-Paper
42 Patiala councillors ask Capt loyalist mayor Bittu to prove majority in House
A protégé of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Patiala mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu has been facing stiff rebellion from fellow councillors
As many as 42 councillors of Patiala municipal corporation formally submitted a requisition with ‘beleaguered’ Patiala mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu on Thursday, asking him to call a general house meeting in order to prove majority in the House.
The requisition has been sent under Section 39 of the Patiala Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, which defines process of removal of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.
A protégé of Captain Amarinder Singh, Bittu has been facing stiff rebellion from fellow councillors over his proximity with the former CM.
On Thursday, led by local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra, as many as 39 councillors met Harish Chaudhary, the Congress in-charge of Punjab affairs, and demanded immediate removal of Bittu. On the other hand, nearly 18 councillors who support Bittu met member of Parliament Preneet Kaur.
Of the 60 seats in the House, 32 are in Captain’s constituency, 26 in local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra’s Patiala (rural) constituency and two in Sanaur.
The requisition letter stated: “We have elected you (Bittu) as mayor as per the Act but now almost all the House members have lost confidence in you. Therefore, it would be appropriate for you to either resign from your post on moral ground or call a House meeting and prove the confidence as per law.”
The letter further stated that more than two thirds of members will support the no confidence motion. “If the meeting is not called immediately as per the Act, the undersigned will reserve the right to knock door of the Punjab government and of competent court of law,” the letter said.
“The councillors narrated their grievances to Chaudhary, who gave a patient hearing and assured them to resolve the matter,” Mohindra said.
Meanwhile, Bittu said as per the Act, he is to call meeting within 14 days. “I will consult it with my leaders in order to decide the next course of action,” he said.
