Phillaur MC president removed from his post

Ashok Kaura 

Phillaur, August 30  

The Principal Secretary of the Department of Local Government, Satish Chandra, has removed Suraj Mani Madan from the post of Phillaur Municipal Council president. The SDM of Phillaur will oversee the work of Madan till the elections of MC president.

Notably, 14 councillors — five of the Congress and nine Independent — unanimously passed a no-confidence resolution against the MC president, who belongs to the SAD, in his absence at a meeting held in Phillaur on June 30. 

Suraj Mani Madan had gone to the USA and was on leave till July 25. Congress councillor Raj Kumar Sandhu presided over the meeting. 

The Phillaur MC is being represented by 15 councillors and five of them won the MC elections on the Congress symbol. Paramjit Bharti belonging to the PPP later joined the Congress while Rai Varinder Singh of the BSP and other Independent councillors supported the SAD-BJP alliance after the elections.

Though Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, who unsuccessfully contested the elections on the Congress ticket, welcomed the move, SAD MLA Baldev Khaira termed the development corrupt politics of the Congress. 

Khaira said despite Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s announcement to abolish the halqa incharge system, Vikramjit was working like a halka incharge and influencing councillors, besides the police. 

Khaira said Madan had sent a notice to executive officer Vijay Dogra about the extension of his leave till September 22, in which he also disclosed that he was being threatened by Vikramjit to step down soon.  It was learnt that around 21 days ago, a notice was sent to the MC president for his removal. But after taking a legal advice, the government removed him from his post.