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AAP bags mayor’s post in Amritsar; Congress alleges ‘misuse’ of govt machinery
Congress state president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring says no voting took place, will move the high court
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured posts of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor in the first meeting of the newly elected House of Amritsar municipal corporation even as the opposition led by Congress, which emerged as the largest party in the civic body elections, cried foul and alleged that no voting was held.
Jatinder Singh alias Moti Bhatia was elected as mayor, while Priyanka Sharma and Aneeta Rani were elected as senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, respectively.
Terming it as “murder of democracy”, Punjab Congress state unit chief and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said that the party will move the Punjab and Haryana high court to challenge the polls.
A close contest was expected between the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the mayoral elections during the meeting in the auditorium of the Government medical college. However, after the oath-taking ceremony, the election process finished within a few minutes and no voting was held, Congress councillors alleged.
As per the councillors associated, the divisional commissioner (DC) who was to oversee the process, left the auditorium after announcing his receiver.
“The receiver announced names of AAP’s candidates for the office-bearer’s post. Soon after the announcement, the AAP councillors left the venue,” opposition councillors of the Congress, BJP and SAD alleged.
Congress councillors led by Warring, leader of Opposition in Punjab Partap Singh Bajwa, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, former deputy CM OP Soni, former Khadoor Sahib MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa sat on a dharna outside the venue raising slogans against the Punjab government blocking the circular road. The sit-in was still on till the filing of this report. Notably, four councillors of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also joined the stir with Congress councillors.
Terming it as blatant excesses, Warring said: “The Congress will move the high court citing that the office-bearers were announced by the ruling party without following any rule and law.” Earlier in the morning, the Punjab and Haryana high court directed videography of the entire proceedings and also ordered adequate security arrangements.
The police did a thorough search of all the councillors and didn’t allow them to carry mobile phones, purses or any other items inside the venue. Warring, Aujla and other senior leaders were also not allowed to enter the campus of the medical college.
The number game
The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in the House, winning 40 out of 85 seats. With seven MLAs from the Amritsar LS segment also having voting rights the total strength of the House went up to 92. The Congress was seven short of the majority mark of 47 and managed to secure the support of just one of the eight independent councillors taking its tally to 41.
AAP, which has 24 councillors, on the other hand, was counting on the support of its seven MLAs. Besides, the AAP also managed to secure the support of seven of the eight independent councillors, while two of the nine BJP councillors have also extended support to the incumbent party in the state. With this AAP’s claimed to have increased its tally in the House to 40.
Raising questions over the elections, Aujla presented all 41 councillors supporting Congress before the media. “This is a blatant misuse of state machinery and police. This has never happened before in history. As seven BJP councillors had walked out the strength of the House came down to 85. In such a situation, 43 was the majority. With the support of SAD councillors, the Congress candidates for the office-bearers would have won the mayor elections easily”, Aujla added. Four-time councillor Congress’ Rajkanwalpreetpal Singh Lucky said the party will meet the Punjab governor on Tuesday and will also file a petition in the high court.
SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also addressed a press conference in the presence of party councillors and condemned the proceedings.
Countering the opposition, an AAP’s communique stated: “Two Congress councillors were absent and weakened the party’s position. Additionally, both Congress and BJP failed to nominate their mayoral candidates, highlighting a lack of preparation and internal coordination”.
Later addressing a press conference in the presence of cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Harbhajan Singh ETO, AAP Punjab head Aman Arora congratulated the winners.
“Today, AAP has been entrusted with the opportunity to serve the holy land of Guru Sahib. Our team will begin work immediately to transform Amritsar into a beautiful and well-developed city. The guarantees in our corporation manifesto will be implemented without delay. We extend our gratitude to the SAD councillors for their support,” Arora said.
Newly elected mayor Jatinder Singh also thanked the AAP leadership and pledged to prioritise basic issues affecting the city. “Amritsar’s primary concerns, including cleanliness and sewerage problems, will be addressed immediately. I am grateful to the leadership and councillors for their faith in me,” he said.
As per unconfirmed reports, Amritsar commissioner of police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, who was present at the meeting venue, was transferred as commissioner of police in Ludhiana.
