Mayor, Dy Mayor of Solan MC to be elected on Oct 16
Ambika Sharma
Solan, September 24
The Urban Development Department yesterday notified October 16 as the date to elect the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the Solan Municipal Corporation (MC) as their term expires on October 15.
Both the posts are held by the Congress which has the majority of nine councillors with the BJP having seven and one being an independent.
Despite having a majority, the Congress was a divided house where two factions were vying to secure the two key posts. Mayor Punam Grover and Deputy Mayor Rajeev Kaura were facing opposition from four Congress councillors while they had the support of the other three councillors.
In a bid to quell dissidence, senior Congress leaders had decided to give three councillors a chance to hold the post of Deputy Mayor in turns while the post of Mayor was supposed to be held by two councillors in turns.
Since the post of Mayor was reserved for a woman schedule caste candidate, Punam Grover was elected for the first two-and-a-half year term in April 2021. There was no unanimity for her successor as several councillors were eying the post.
Deputy Mayor, Rajeev Kaura, however, occupied the post for two-and-a-half year tenure as no unanimity could be achieved within the party for the next candidate.
An unsuccessful attempt was made by the four Congress councillors to bring a no-confidence motion against the duo in October 2022 with the support of seven BJP councillors. This further widened the chasm between the two factions of the Congress.
In a bid to capitalize from this divided house of the Congress, the Opposition BJP will try to secure at least one of the two top posts by roping in the support of at least one faction. It remains to be seen whether the Congress would manage to retain the two top posts or lose them owing to factionalism.
Though Solan is the home turf of DR Shandil, Health and Family Welfare Minister, he has failed to prevail upon the warring factions to work unitedly. Unruly scenes have been witnessed between the two groups of Congress councillors in the house which has adversely hit their image.
Both parties have become active after the notification of the dates for electing the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor was issued.
Cong a divided house
Though Solan is the home turf of DR Shandil, Health and Family Welfare Minister, he has failed to prevail upon the warring factions to work unitedly. Unruly scenes have been witnessed between the two groups of Congress councillors in the house which has adversely hit their image.
