Congress gets its Municipal Council president in Shahkot

After several glitches, the Congress finally managed to bag the post of president and vice president in the election held for the Shahkot Municipal Council here today afternoon.

The victory has come as a big boost for local Congress MLA Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia as the party won the election with 10-4 majority. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could win only in four wards. The Congress managed victory in nine wards and the MLA’s vote also got added in the polling.

The name of Gulzar Singh Thind was announced as the president of Shahkot MC while Kuljeet Rani was picked as the vice president. Soon after the victory, the Congress held a big show of strength in the town. A DJ was arranged and a roadshow was taken out in all bazars and across main roads of the town. Sweets were distributed among residents as garlanded Laddi and his team moved on.

This was the third time that the poll for the MC president was held in the town. The election for the MC was first scheduled on January 16, but it could not be held on the day as SDM Shubhi Angra reportedly fell ill. A meeting was called again on January 21, but again on that day too election could not be held.

Thirteen councillors were administered oath, but soon after tehsildar Maninder Sidhu left the meeting owing to some reported rift in the councillors.

Since then the Congress councillors had been alleging that they were being pressurised by the ruling AAP to join the party and the local police had also been harassing them and their family members at the odd hours. They alleged that the local administration too had been supporting the AAP. A petition was also moved in a court, following which the election was held today.