Race for mayoral posts begins in Mohali

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, February 21

With the Congress gaining a three-fourths majority in the Mohali Municipal Corporation elections, the race for the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor has started.

Preparations have already begun for the swearing-in of councillors. The notification in this regard is expected to be issued by the Local Government Department tomorrow. The process of convening an election meeting is set to begin and is expected to be completed in a week.

Even though no senior leader is ready to discuss about it, speculations are rife. Though those who matter in the Congress say that the candidates for the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor are to be decided by the party high command, it is a well-known fact that the final call in this regard will be taken by local MLA and Punjab Cabinet Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu and the party high command has to seal the choice.

The first name in the race for the post of Mayor is that of Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu, younger brother of Balbir Singh Sidhu. His name came up for discussion even before the elections and according to political pundits, Amarjit Singh is likely to be the choice for the post of Mayor.

Besides, former Senior Deputy Mayor Rishav Jain, former city council president Rajinder Singh Rana and Amrik Singh Somal, who defeated former Mayor Kulwant Singh to win the election of councillor for a third time, and Kuljit Singh Bedi, who also won the election for a third time, are in the race. The political pundits say if they do not get the seat of Mayor, two of them may be proposed for the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Balbir Singh Sidhu said the Mayor would be chosen by the elected members of the MC and the decision in this regard would be taken after the notification for the swearing-in ceremony of the councillors was issued.

Amarjit Singh Jiti Sidhu said he was not in any race and the decision in this regard would be taken by the party leadership.Former Senior Deputy Mayor and senior Congress leader Rishav Jain said he was not in the race for any post. He said he had first served as the senior vice-president of the Municipal Council and then as the Senior Deputy Mayor of the Municipal Corporation and this time too, he would fulfil all responsibilities given to him by the party.