Manish Tewari promises to bring Chandigarh civic body under anti-defection law

Chandigarh, May 20

Senior Congress leader and INDIA bloc candidate from Chandigarh Manish Tewari said today that the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation would be brought under the anti-defection law to ensure that the ‘opportunistic migratory birds do not sabotage the popular mandate’.

Replying to a question during an informal interaction with reporters on his promise to bring the MC under the anti-defection law here, Tewari observed that this law was needed the most as in several instances the opportunistic elected representatives switch sides as there is no deterrent against such subversion and betrayal.

He pointed out that Chandigarh proved to be the worst example of how the popular mandate was stolen in broad daylight. He further said had it not been for the Supreme Court’s intervention, the opportunists would have taken over the control of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.

In the same context, he said that was why he had been insisting that a vote for Sanjay Tandon of the BJP would be a vote for Anil Masih, the ‘hangman of democracy’ in Chandigarh.

Tewari said relevant provisions of Schedule 10 of the Constitution would be amended to make provisions of the anti-defection law applicable on municipal bodies. He said the local/municipal bodies were the most important institutions of grassroots governance, where this law is needed as much as in the legislative bodies like the Assemblies and the Parliament.

AAP meeting held in ward 30

A meeting was organised by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Hardip Singh Buterla in ward number 30 and Ramesh Ahuja, president, Market Association, Sector 41-D. Residents from Badheri and Buterla villages, which fall in this ward, also attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, Tewari said he was touched by the active support of the AAP rank and file in his campaign.

Among others present on the occasion included AAP leader Dr SS Ahluwalia, lambardar Rajinder Singh Badheri, who is also the state president, All-India Jat Maha Sabha, Chandigarh, and Comrade Joga Singh.

CPI-ML(Liberation) supports Tewari

A delegation of the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML, Liberation) met Tewari at his ancestral house here today. The delegation was led by central committee member Kanwaljeet Singh and included secretary Lal Bahadur and others. The delegation assured its support to Tewari.