Independents, Azad Group, Cong dine together at Jabli

Akash Ghai

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Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 26

With two days left for the first mayoral poll in Mohali, the Azad Group, Congress and two Independents today met over dinner to finalise things for the election day at a restaurant in Jabli, near Kasuali in Himachal Pradesh, today.

If the Congress, Azad Group and two Independents were able to align on August 28, it was likely that all three posts— the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor And Deputy Mayor would go to them.

It is to be noted that if the votes of the Congress, Azad Group and Independents are added , they get 27 votes (the number 27 includes the vote of Congress MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu). To prove a majority in the 50-member MC House, 26 votes are required.

Confirming the development, Azad Group head Kulwant Singh said that all Congress councillors (except Kuljit Singh Bedi)m including Congress MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu, his party’s councillors and Independents were present for the dinner.

“Our stand is clear now”, said Kulwant Singh, hinting at their alliance with the Congress.

Notably, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had called Kulwant Singh and Independent Manjit Singh Sethi for a meeting at his residence this evening.

“The meeting could not take place as Badal left the state to catch a flight of Korea. No meeting took place”, said Manjit Singh Sethi.

Notably on August 18 (the earlier schedule for Mayor’s election) the 26 councillors of the alliance (the Congress, Azad Group and Independents) and MLA Sidhu had remained seated together in the meeting hall when the 23 Akali-BJP councillors left the hall after a ruckus there.

Then, Sidhu and Kulwant Singh had announced that they would join hands for the elections.

The election will take place on August 28 at the Mohali MC Bhawan in Sector 68 at 3 pm.