Deadlock between Mayor, BJP councillors ends

The ongoing standoff between Mayor Inderjit Kaur and BJP councillors came to an end late on Wednesday night, as a dharna staged outside the Municipal Corporation’s Zone D office was formally lifted following a conciliatory meeting.

The meeting, mediated by MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, was attended by the Mayor, BJP councillors, and local MLAs Madan Lal Bagga and Daljit Singh Grewal.

While the BJP councillors initially insisted on holding the meeting at the Zone D office, they eventually agreed — after persuasion by the Commissioner — to shift the venue to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Discussions continued past midnight and concluded around 2 am.

District BJP chief Rajneesh Dhiman confirmed that all issues had been resolved. “None of our concerns were personal. Our protest was solely for the development of Ludhiana,” he said.

The Mayor echoed the sentiment, saying: “The misunderstanding has been cleared. Our shared goal is the development of the city and we will work together to achieve it.”

However, the late-night resolution has drawn criticism from some quarters. Congress councillor Gaurav Bhatti (Ward 26) questioned the secrecy surrounding the meeting.

In a strongly worded statement, Bhatti alleged that the public deserves transparency. He asked whether the Mayor had accepted fault in filing FIRs against councillors and whether the BJP councillors had agreed to withdraw their demand for an apology.

“Was the dharna lifted simply on the promise that pending works of BJP councillors would be cleared?” he asked. “Ludhiana residents have a right to know what transpired behind closed doors,” he said.

While the deadlock may be over, Bhatti’s remarks suggest that political tensions within the Municipal Corporation are far from settled.