6 councillors don AAP cap, take party tally to 44; Cong, BJP loser

Having failed to reach the majority mark of 43 in the Municipal Corporation elections held on Saturday, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party has managed to rope in five councillors required to reach the magic figure. In the 85-ward MC House, AAP could win only on 38 wards with the Congress getting 25, BJP 19, BSP one and Independents two wards.

In just two days, the party’s leadership, including three Cabinet ministers Harbhajan Singh ETO, Dr Ravjot Singh and Mohinder Bhagat, has been able to rope in five councillors to improve the tally to 44 councillors, required to have the AAP Mayor.

Those who joined are both Independent councillors Seema Rani (Ward no. 81) and Tarsem Lakhotra (Ward no. 46), two from the Congress Parveen Wason (Ward no. 65) and Manmeet Kaur (Ward no. 47), and two from BJP Sulekha Bhagat (Ward no. 63), and Shabnam Duggal (Ward no. 41). The joinings kept on happening one after the other.

The pictures of joinings kept flowing the whole day after short gaps with the required mark achieved this afternoon.

AAP, it is learnt, plans to ensure that there are not just 43 but 50 councillors on its side to ensure a safer, stable House. It is learnt that many more councillors have shown their interest in joining the ruling AAP so as to ensure free flow of funds, development works in their wards for the next two and a half years and even ease in doing the businesses they are already engaged in. There have been some who have been seeking commitment from the party leaders for getting plum posts like those of Deputy Mayor or Senior Deputy Mayor.

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New entrants are...

Those who joined are both Independent councillors - Seema Rani (Ward no. 81) and Tarsem Lakhotra (Ward no. 46), two from the Congress - Parveen Wason (Ward no. 65) and Manmeet Kaur (Ward no. 47), and one from BJP Sulekha Bhagat from Ward no. 63.

Manmeet jumps 3 parties in 11 days

Even as Jalandhar has earned the sobriquet 'the city of party hoppers', the biggest of them seems to have been councillor Manmeet Kaur. She has beaten the previous record by switching over thrice in just 11 days. Her name figured in the BJP list of candidates on December 12. The same night, she shifted to the Congress and her name appeared in their list on December 13, which was the last day of filing of nomination papers. This afternoon, she chose to join AAP that needed majority to form its Mayor.

BOX: Cong-AAP-Ind-AAP

If Manmeet Kaur has proved to be a big hopper, so is Tarsem Lakhotra, the Independent councillor. He was a Congress councillor in the last elections. He shifted to the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the Jalandhar West bypoll for better prospects. But he got upset as he was denied ticket. It was given to Rajneesh Bhagat instead. Lakhotra turned rebel and chose to file his papers as Independent. While he polled 1,940 votes, AAP candidate Rajneesh Bhagat had got less than half with 962 votes. As the party asked him to return, he responded quickly.