Post-win, SAD factions fight for Mayor’s post in Moga

Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Moga, February 26

Bagging 24 seats in the 50-ward House, the SAD has emerged as the largest unit in the Moga Municipal Corporation. The BJP candidates won from eight wards while the Congress could manage a mere one seat. The remaining 17 seats were won by Independent candidates, most of them rebel Akalis.

Though a comfortable victory for the SAD-BJP alliance, elections for the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor appear to be a tough task in the days to come.

The Akali factions led by Agriculture Minister Tota Singh and local MLA Joginder Pal Jain have already started lobbying for their confidants. Jain wants the Mayor’s post for his son Akshit Jain, a candidate not acceptable to Tota Singh. “I will not allow Jain’s son to become the Mayor at any cost. He is just 26 and too immature for this coveted post,” said the minister.

Tota Singh’s son Barjinder Singh Brar, former president of the erstwhile municipal council, said, “Most of the Akalis and the Independents who have won have already extended support to us. We will soon hold a meeting to select candidates for the top posts,” he said.

Joginder Pal and SAD district president Tirath Singh Mahla said they would soon call on party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and apprise him of the political situation. “Sukhbir will take the final decision,” they said.

It has also been learnt that both Jain and Tota Singh have today started holding one-to-one talks with the elected members to win over them. The former DGP of Punjab Paramdip Singh Gill (now in BJP) also held a meeting of his supporters who won the polls to discuss the political situation arising out of the infighting between the two Akali leaders. The details of the meeting could not be known immediately.

A rebel Akali leader, Deepinder Pal Singh Sandhu, said a majority of the independents were not in favour of Akshit.

Brar has claimed the support of 13 SAD councillors; besides, a few independents. Therefore, the role of the Independents would be crucial for both the factions. There could also be possible chances of “horse-trading” to win over them.