Amritsar’s development will be top priority, says Mayor Bhatia

The newly elected Mayor of Amritsar, Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia, assumed office at the Municipal Corporation head office in Ranjit Avenue here today. He was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, MLA Jasbir Singh Sandhu, and other senior party leaders. Addressing the media, Mayor Bhatia emphasised that the development of the city was his top priority. He assured that all 85 wards of Amritsar city would be treated equally and that development would take place without political bias. He further mentioned that a list of stalled projects has been prepared and new initiatives would be taken in the coming days.

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On the occasion, Cabinet Minister Dhaliwal dismissed the allegations levelled by the Congress party regarding unfair election of the Mayor. He stated that the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor were elected democratically with the majority support of councillors and MLA members, who voted by raising their hands. He accused the Congress of creating unnecessary drama after failing to secure the Mayor’s position. Dhaliwal emphasised that the elections were conducted as per the High Court’s directives, with videography evidence to ensure transparency.

When questioned about the Congress party’s petition to the High Court seeking the cancellation of Mayor’s election, Dhaliwal responded confidently, saying, “It doesn’t matter, our lawyer will handle it.”

In an unexpected development, Senior Deputy Mayor Priyanka Sharma and Deputy Mayor Anita Rani did not assume their positions alongside the Mayor today. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Priyanka Sharma, who was reportedly aspiring to become the Mayor, is unhappy with the party’s decision to nominate Moti Bhatia. It is speculated that a faction led by former Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu is dissatisfied with the nomination of Bhatia.

When asked about this, Cabinet Minister Dhaliwal expressed confidence that Priyanka Sharma and Anita Rani would take charge soon.