Bathinda deputy mayor quits, alleges move to oust him
Bathinda deputy mayor Harmandar Singh tendered his resignation to the municipal commissioner and Bathinda deputy commissioner, Showkat Ahmad Parray, on Thursday evening
Bathinda deputy mayor Harmandar Singh, a senior Congress leader of the district, has resigned amid the development that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership is planning to remove the senior deputy mayor and his deputy.
Singh said that he tendered his resignation to the municipal commissioner and Bathinda deputy commissioner, Showkat Ahmad Parray, on Thursday evening.
His resignation will be subjected to approval by the House.
On February 5, the first-time councillor Padamjeet Singh Mehta was elected as Bathinda mayor. He was the first AAP leader elected on the party symbol in the municipality. He had won with the support from councillors across party lines, including members of the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and those close to the BJP leader Manpreet Badal.
Singh claimed the incumbent AAP government in the state had compelled him to quit.
“I will continue to act as the elected representative in the House. There is a move by the AAP government to bring a confidence motion to unseat me, and I see no point in sticking around. It was unfortunate the way the AAP councillor managed to occupy the mayoral office despite being a minority party. It is a known fact that my party colleagues and others supported him,” he added.
