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MC polls: With 4 Oppn, 2 independent councillors’ support, AAP gains majority in Jalandhar
2 Congress, 2 independents and 2 councillors from BJP have extended support to AAP taking its tally to 44 in the 85-member corporation
After emerging as the single largest party with 38 councillors in the recently concluded Jalandhar municipal corporation elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) gained the support of five newly-elected councillors of other political outfits to gain a majority in the 85-member House.
Two newly-elected Congress councillors along with one from the BJP and two independents pledged support to AAP on Monday.
“Two Congress councillors, two independent and one from BJP have formally joined the party in the presence of senior leaders. With this, the Aam Aadmi Party has now achieved the majority figure in the municipal corporation. Now, the path is clear for the AAP to elect its mayor in the Jalandhar MC,” minister Mohinder Bhagat said. Late in the evening, another BJP councillor from Ward number 41 Shabbam joined AAP.
The Congress won 25 wards, while 19 seats went into the kitty of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Two seats were won by independent candidates, while Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) remained victorious on one seat.
The development comes as three cabinet ministers—Harbhajan Singh ETO, incharge for Jalandhar MC elections, Ravjot Singh and Mohinder Bhagat held close door meetings with the newly elected councillors of the opposition parties.
Among those who extended support to AAP include the Congress councillor from ward number 47 Manmeet Kaur, BJP councillor from ward number 63 Sulekha Bhagat, an independent councillor from ward number 46 Tarsem Lakhotra and Seema Rani, councillor from ward number 81.
Congress’ Parveen Wason, who defeated Anita Raja, wife of former mayor Jagdish Raja, from ward number 65, also joined the AAP.
“All six councillors formally joined the AAP and assured their full support to the party in the corporation,” Bhagat added.
The Congress alleged horse-trading by the ruling AAP.
Jalandhar Congress committee president Rajinder Beri said after being rejected by the people of Jalandhar, the AAP has resorted to horse-trading and offering lucrative offers to the councillors of opposition parties to acquire the majority.
“We are surely going to take stringent action against the councillors from Congress for ditching and back-stabbing the party. We will seek formal resignation of those who joined AAP after winning on Congress ticket,” Beri said.
