No-trust move: Relief for Rohtak Zila Parishad president as 2 members step back

The president of the Rohtak Zila Parishad (ZP) has come in the safe zone with two members of the parishad having withdrawn from the no-confidence motion proposed against him.

A majority of the members of the Rohtak Zila Parishad had sought a no-confidence motion against parishad president Manju Hooda on September 6.

A representation signed by 10 of the 14 members of the parishad had been submitted in this regard.

However, two of the 10 members, including Sonu Pilana and Mange Ram, recently withdrew their names from the application for no-confidence motion, due to which the parishad members no longer have the requisite strength for the success of the no-confidence motion.

Notably, the BJP had fielded Zila Parishad president Manju Hooda as its candidate against two-time Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda from Garhi-Sampla-Kiloi constituency in Rohtak district in the recent Assembly elections.

"I have always supported all members and tried to ensure uniform development in all wards. I never had anything against the members for seeking a no-confidence motion to remove me from the post. Now, two of them have withdrawn their names and I hope that the rest of them will also support me," said Manju Hooda.

Asked how the members changed their mind, the parishad president maintained that they might have realised that they should work in coordination with the authorities concerned in order to ensure development of their wards.

Members of the president's rival camp, however, maintain that they had sought a meeting with the Chief Minister to get a concrete assurance regarding their concerns.

"BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra has assured us that a meeting with the Chief Minister would be arranged soon to sort out the matter," said parishad member Neelam Khatri's representative Jagbir.

Earlier, the Zila Parishad meeting for discussion and voting on the no-confidence motion was postponed three times.

The members who had sought the no-confidence motion had accused the district administration of working under pressure from the state government.

A woman member of the parishad, Neelam Khatri, had also accused the parishad president of getting her son kidnapped to force her to vote in her favour.

An FIR was registered against Manju Hooda and her husband Rajesh, alias Sarkari, on the basis of her complaint.