13 councillors join AAP in Amritsar, more in line

Amritsar, March 13

In a significant development, 13 Municipal Corporation councillors joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Punjab AAP in-charge Jarnail Singh here on Sunday.

Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu stated that five more councillors were ready to join, but the decision would be taken after the approval of party supremo Arvind Kejriwal. The councillors, including Jatinder Sonia, Parmodh Babla, Nitu Tangri, Sukhbir Singh, Rajesh Madan and Pardeep Sharma, joined the AAP at the residence of councillor Monica Sharma. While some husbands and sons of incumbent councillors, including Jagdeesh Kalia and Virat Devgan, also joined the party.

This implies that Mayor Karamjit Rintu may continue to hold the Mayor’s chair as it would be difficult for the Congress councillors to prove a two-third majority in the House to replace Karamjit Singh Rintu from the post of Mayor.

Before the results of the Punjab Assembly elections, 53 Congress councillors were demanding the removal of Rintu from the post of Mayor as he had already quit the Congress and joined the AAP. Three councillors — Monica Sharma, Gurjeet Kaur and Mandeep Ahuja — had already joined the AAP, taking the total to 16.

Rintu claims that five more are interested to join the AAP and the number would cross 25, including five MLAs, who are also members of the House.

There are three separate groups in the Congress, who were aspirants for the post of Mayor before the election results. The councillors, who were loyal to Navjot Singh Sidhu, are in doubt about the further move of Sidhu in politics. In case the Congress high command removes Sidhu from the post of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, the councillors of the Sidhu group would lose their support.

Karamjit Singh Rintu said Arvind Kejriwal was keen to develop the holy city as a world icon which would help improve its infrastructure and create employment. During his visit, Kejriwal discussed several issues of the city and assured them of addressing these.

Local environmentalist Parkash Singh Bhatty wrote to Kejriwal asking him not to allow councillors from other parties to join the AAP. “Do not overload AAP with cultured and habitual corrupt lots from old political parties. Their aim is to secure their councillor’s seat for the next election. Your own workers, who have worked hard, would be deprived and will get disappointed. It would be an injustice to your own original party workers,” said Bhatty.