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Lodhi Club elections: Mahajan, Charanjit to vie for general secretary’s post
The upcoming election of the Lodhi Club will see Nitin Mahajan, a chartered accountant (CA) by profession, and Dr Charanjit Singh will contest for the post of general secretary while telecom department employee Harinderpal Singh and businessman Vibhor Garg will contest for the post of mess secretary on February 19
The upcoming election of the Lodhi Club will see Nitin Mahajan, a chartered accountant (CA) by profession, and Dr Charanjit Singh will contest for the post of general secretary while telecom department employee Harinderpal Singh and businessman Vibhor Garg will contest for the post of mess secretary on February 19.
Earlier, the Ludhiana deputy commissioner (DC), who also holds the charge of the president of the club, gave the go-ahead for holding the elections to the managing committee of the club on February 19. On the DC’s orders, the election code of conduct has also been imposed in the club and the club will now close at 10pm everyday till the date of the elections and entry of outsiders, guests and members of other affiliated clubs has also been banned in the club for the time being.
Meanwhile, eight candidates were appointed unopposed. While cardiologist Dr Sarju Ralhan was appointed vice-president, Ajay Mehta was made joint secretary, Vishal Garg finance secretary, Nishit Singhania cultural secretary, Ram Sharma was appointed sports secretary, Jyoti Grover as bar secretary, Rajiv Gupta executive man and Ritu Chandra was appointed executive woman unopposed.
Dr Ralhan has been instrumental in creating a lobby to avoid intense tug-of-war for various positions in the club. But consensus could not be reached for the post of general secretary and mess secretary.
Political overtones
Projected to remain apolitical, the much-hyped Lodhi club elections take political overtones with politicians calling members and urging them to vote for a particular candidate.
Despite strict guidelines from the authorities on prohibition of banners, posters hosting any type of parties or holding election meetings inside or outside the club premises, including house/restaurants/marriage palace, all tactics were being employed to woo the voters.
The loyalists of both the groups were busy frantically calling and messaging the club members to vote and support the respective candidate contesting the elections.
The contestants were even visiting the houses of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and urging them to call the members for vote.
During the previous elections, the group alleged to have been backed by then cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu had taken control of the club management, but with Congress out of power and Ashu in jail, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is keen in making forays in the club management. Even professors, doctors, police officials and retired bureaucrats are not left behind in persuading voters.
