Ready for the floor test anytime: Amritsar Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, March 22

A day after Congress councillors gathered at the MC office to oppose the cancellation of the special meeting, Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu on Tuesday clarified the reason for the cancellation.

Rintu claimed that after the Assembly election results, 16 councillors officially joined the AAP and a number of councillors from the Congress and other parties also supported the Mayor.

“A written representation signed by 40 councillors was submitted to MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi and there was no need of floor test as the majority of councillors were with me. The MC Commissioner forwarded the same letter to me. I have decided to save the precious time and resources of the councillors and cancelled the meeting. I have no issue if the Congress councillors want to conduct the floor test but they don’t have the required number of councillors, which are needed to ask the Mayor to call the meeting. As per the rule, one-third councillors are required to ask the Mayor to call the meeting,” said Karamjit Singh Rintu.

Commenting on the gathering of Congress councillors at the MC Commissioner’s office on Monday, Rintu said, “There were less than 25 councillors in the gathering. Husbands of woman councillors and outsider Congress leaders had gathered to show strength. They made a false claim that the number of councillors was more than 50. Actually, I have 41 councillors, including myself and five AAP MLAs. I am ready for the floor test anytime, they (Congress) have to arrange the required number of councillors to call the meeting,” he added.

As per Rintu’s claim there were only 43 councillors out of 84, who may oppose him. But it can happen only if the Congress, SAD and BJP enter into alliance against AAP.

“Bikram Singh Majithia, who is in jail, is being contacted by Congress leaders against the AAP. Congress MLAs called Anil Joshi to arrange support of BJP and SAD councillors against me. They all are together against me, but they can’t prove a majority. I always go by ethics. I will call the meeting as per the rules and prove the majority,” said Rintu.

Talking about Senior Deputy Mayor Raman Bakshi, Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu said, “He has been dreaming of becoming the Mayor for long, but he will never be able to do so.”