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Removal of Bathinda mayor: Cong in political jeopardy despite overwhelming majority
After expelling the Manpreet Badal loyalists- Bathinda mayor Raman Goyal and four other councillors, from the party, the Congress leadership is in political jeopardy to oust her from the mayoral office.
After expelling the Manpreet Badal loyalists- Bathinda mayor Raman Goyal and four other councillors, from the party, the Congress leadership is in political jeopardy to oust her from the mayoral office.
The Congress has an overwhelming number of 41 councillors in the 50-member house, but the divided party is not able to initiate a removal proceeding in the house against Goyal, the first woman mayor of Bathinda, the largest urban local body of south Punjab.
Since her expulsion from the party, Goyal continues to attend her mayoral office regularly.
The political fight took an interesting turn as after maintaining silence for over a month, the Manpreet camp has suddenly got active in support of a section of the Congress councillors.
On February 22, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) expelled five party councillors for a period of six years on the grounds of indulging in anti-party activities.
If sources are to be believed, about 5-8 more Congress councillors, who are considered close to Manpreet, also stand with the mayor.
Despite this thin strength of supporters with the mayor, it is proving a headache for Congress as they lack the required number to remove the mayor.
After the ex-finance minister, Manpreet lost the assembly elections from the Bathinda Urban seat last year, a dissenting voice started coming against the mayor.
But after Manpreet quit the Congress to join the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in January, the Congress leadership of Bathinda, including the district unit chief Rajan Garg, and senior deputy mayor Ashok Kumar, turned more vocal against her.
But sensing that the number game is not in its favour, PPCC had to satisfy the anti-Manpreet camp with the expulsion of Goyal and four from the party.
Bathinda municipal commissioner Rahul said on Monday that he has not received any notice to call a meeting to remove the mayor.
As per Section 39 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, “a councillor holding office as mayor, senior deputy mayor or deputy mayor may be removed from his office by a resolution of the Corporation passed by a majority of the total membership of the Corporation and by the majority of not less than two-third of the members of the Corporation present and voting in a meeting of the Corporation in the prescribed manner.”
Official sources said even if the mayor maintains the support of 17 votes, she may retain the office comfortably.
Bathinda MC has 50 members and to remove her, Congress needs the support of 34 councillors.
And if the session is called, Congress needs votes of a minimum of 25 (that is the total absolute majority of the house) and two-third of total councillors participated in the voting.
Rebel Congress councilor from ward-26 Sandeep Kumar said “instead of proving the charge of anti-party activities, against expelled councilors, Congress leaders themselves are dividing the party.”
“She has the support of at least 15 councilors on the agenda of the city’s development. It is unfortunate that after getting a majority in Akali’s stronghold for the first time, our leaders are creating hurdles in running the smooth functioning of the house. They are only easing work of AAP who is eyeing the house,” he said.
