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SAD-BJP a minority in MC

BATHINDA: With four SAD councillors quitting the party, the SAD-BJP alliance has been reduced to a minority in the Municipal Corporation of Bathinda (MCB).



Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 13

With four SAD councillors quitting the party, the SAD-BJP alliance has been reduced to a minority in the Municipal Corporation of Bathinda (MCB).

After the recent development, SAD leader and former MLA Sarup Chand Singla on Sunday invited SAD-BJP and independent councillors to his house. Only 15 SAD-BJP and 3 independent councilors turned up.

It is learnt that five SAD-BJP councillors — Deputy Mayor Gurinderpal Kaur Mangat, Santosh Mahant, Sukhmander Singh, Gursewak Mann and Asser Paswan — did not turn up for the meeting, citing they were busy but the party has claimed that they have lent their support to SAD.

In a major jolt to the SAD-BJP, only three independent councillors out of 11 turned up for the meeting.

The three were Harvinder Ganju Sharma, Harjinder Shinda and Raj Mehra, husband of councilor Kamlesh Rani.

The total number of councillors reached around 23, which is still three short of majority mark of 26.

A SAD councilor, who was present in the meeting, on condition of anonymity, said a councilor raised an issue that these four councillors who had resigned were given more power and they were calling the shots in the MCB and party.

Sources in the MCB claimed that after four senior councillors quit the party, it is likely that more councillors can resign in the coming days.

It will be a tough task for the Mayor to keep party leaders together as a few SAD councillors are already in controversy and can switch side.

SAD councillor Gurmeet Kaur has already been found guilty in fake SC certificate and even the cancellation of her membership has been recommended.

Another SAD councillor Harjinder Singh Tony had been booked in a land fraud case. The accused has been accused of forging documents in a property related case.

The Mayor is also facing internal protest from some SAD councillors who were ignored in this term and allegedly overlooked when the mayor’s post came under reserve category in 2015.

Sources said the four senior SAD councillors who resigned from the party are most likely to join the Congress in the coming days. If such a thing happens, Mayor Balwant Rai Nath’s future would be in crisis and then Congress councillors can opt for going for change of guard by proposing a no confidence motion.

SAD leader Sarup Chand Singla said, “It is wrong that these party leaders have taken such step whereas they were given so much by the party.”

When asked about the SAD-BJP reducing to a minority in the MCB, Singla claimed that there was no such issue as they had the support of independents and around 30 councillors were with them.

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