To check poaching, Cong councillors taken to Shimla

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, April 12

A Congress panel for the Solan Municipal Corporation elections today considered the probable names for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor ahead of oath-taking ceremony tomorrow.

In a bid to rule out poaching by the ruling BJP, it has shifted its nine councillors to a safe location in Shimla. The Congress has majority, the BJP won seven wards and an Independent also emerged victorious in the MC polls.

As the post of Mayor is reserved for an SC woman for the first two-and-a-half-year term, Punam Grover is the unanimous choice in the Congress. There are three contenders for the post of Deputy Mayor. All three councillors, Rajiv Kaura, Abhay and Sardar Singh Thakur, are hoping to get the post for the first term, though party leaders said consensus had been arrived upon who would head it first. Since the post is not reserved, all three contenders can be adjusted on the post for sometime. The tactic is used by the party to quell dissidence when the aspirants are more.

Poll conveners - Rajinder Rana, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Kewal Pathania, DR Shandil - had a meeting with all councillors in Shimla to finalise the names for the two posts before oath-taking ceremony. Taking no chances, the Congress leaders will bring all candidates tomorrow just before the ceremony slated for 11 am.

Commissioner, Solan MC, LR Verma, said the election for the posts could be held tomorrow. If the quoram was not completed, it would be held within three days.

The BJP has not lost hopes of securing the posts. Efforts are afoot to contact the disgruntled Congress councillors and make way for their candidates through cross-voting. Since an Independent Manish Kumar is a suspended BJP member, the party is confident of his support and required only one more councillor.

BJP still hopeful

The BJP has not lost hopes of securing the top posts. Efforts are afoot to contact the disgruntled Congress councillors and make way for their candidates through cross-voting.

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