Congress’ senior deputy mayor in BJP-SAD House

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 26

Even after shifting his loyalty from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to the Congress, Avtar Singh Truckanwala, has been working as senior deputy mayor on the same capacity. He is using powers of the seat in the House of the Municipal Corporation having a BJP-SAD majority.

However, it is quite rare, when senior deputy mayor is from the Congress in a BJP-SAD majority House.

Truckanwala attended the Finance and Contractual Committee (F&CC) meeting of the MC on Friday and took part in discussion on various issues.

It is condition of the SAD-BJP alliance in the state that the Mayor of the MC will be from the BJP and senior deputy mayor will be from the SAD. Truckanwala was nominated by the SAD as senior deputy mayor in the House. During the past five years, Truckanwala used to allege that Mayor Bakshi Ram had no guts to fight against Anil Joshi, former Local Bodies Minster, who was interfering in matters of the MC House.

Before the Assembly elections, Truckanwala was an aspirant from the Amritsar (South) constituency, but did not get the party ticket. Irked over this, he left SAD and joined the Congress.

Truckanwala actively participates in affairs of the MC and visits office of the senior deputy mayor.

Truckanwala said, “I have been working as per my routine. I have been elected by House. The 2/3rd majority of the House can remove me. The election of the Municipal Corporation House is not far away. So, I will remain senior deputy mayor till the end of this term.”