Race begins for next Mayor’s post

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3

With the election for the coveted post of Mayor nearly three months away, lobbying by prospective candidates from political parties — the Congress and the BJP— has started.

Next year, the Mayor’s post will be for the general category candidate, some candidates are openly saying that they will be the first choice of the party for the post of Mayor, whereas others are working silently to attain their goal. The ones who are quiet are only focusing on development work in their respective wards and their links with the senior party leaders.

While deciding on the candidates, parties, especially the BJP, will be wary of cross-voting within the party which had led to the defeat of its mayoral candidate last year despite having a majority in the MC.

The Congress, which has only eight councillors in the MC, looks united. The unity had also resulted in its victory in the last mayoral poll. 

From the Congress, councillors Subhash Chawla, Mukesh Bassi and Darshan Garg are in the fray. Sources in Congress said Bassi was a strong contender this time, as Chawla had already been at the post twice, and Darshan Garg had been a former Senior Deputy Mayor.

In the BJP, the situation is a little complex as there are different camps within the party. But still, Arun Sood, Davesh Moudgil, Saurabh Joshi, Deshraj Gupta and Rajesh Gupta Bittu are prospective candidate from the party for the post of Mayor. While Sood is from party president Sanjay Tandon’s camp, Moudgil is from former MP Satya Pal Jain’s camp, whereas Saurabh Joshi is from MP Kirron Kher’s camp. But if the party will go for senior candidates then Deshraj Gupta and Rajesh Gupta Bittu, who is at present the Senior Deputy Mayor in the MC, can be made the party’s mayoral candidate. 

Probable candidates are counting on their plus points like their links with senior party leaders, experience, approachable to public, cordial relations with nominated councillors, the MC and UT Administration officials. 

Numbers game

The MC has a total strength of 36 members, including 26 elected councillors, nine nominated councillors and one MP. The Congress at present has eight councillors, the BJP-SAD alliance has 15, the BSP has two and one is Independent. Apart from them, there are nine nominated councillors. The local MP who is an ex-officio member of the House also has a vote.