Even as the Mohali Congress prepares to move a no-trust motion against mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu who quit the party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), some councillors of the grand old party are still willing to support him in the House.
While maintaining that they won’t switch to the BJP, some councillors said that they will continue to support Sidhu as the mayor “for Mohali’s development”.
Deputy mayor Kuljeet Singh Bedi said, “Some councillors have decided support Sidhu as mayor as we all want development of Mohali. But they have assured us they won’t be joining the saffron party.”
Others however say it won’t be appropriate to support a leader who has joined hands with the rivals.
Rishav Jain, a Congress councillor and the party’s district unit chief said, “How can we support a BJP member? Most councillors want a new mayor. We will soon be holding a meeting to decide on a new mayor.”
He reiterated that a no-trust motion will be moved against Sidhu in the House.
The Congress, which enjoyed a comfortable majority with 37 sitting councillors in the House, is left with 36 after Sidhu’s exit. The BJP, which so far had no representation in the House, has one councillor on its side and the Congress fears, Sidhu may influence more to follow his lead. The Congress requires the presence of a minimum of 35 councillors for the success of the no-trust motion. Eleven seats are with the Azad group while two councillors are independents.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress, which enjoyed a comfortable majority with 37 sitting councillors in the House, is left with 36 after Sidhu’s exit. The BJP, which so far had no representation in the House, has one councillor on its side and the Congress fears, Sidhu may influence more to follow his lead. The Congress requires the presence of a minimum of 35 councillors for the success of the no-trust motion. Eleven seats are with the Azad group while two councillors are independents.
{{/usCountry}}AAP watching the move
The eleven councillors of the Azad group, led by Mohali AAP MLA Kulwant Singh, meanwhile are also trying to woo Congress councillors to stake claim for mayorship.
Kulwant Singh said, “Some Congress councillors have approached us and we are hopeful of getting the mayor’s seat.”
Mohali got a municipal corporation in 2010 and its first elections were held in 2015 when current MLA Kulwant Singh became the mayor with the help of the Congress, which has continued to dominate the civic body ever since. On Sunday, Congress state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring had convened an emergency meeting and in an apparent bid to keep the flock together, told them that any of them may now be selected for the mayor’s post.