No MC elections, Sangrur residents upset with govt

Sangrur, April 28

More than three years have passed after the end of term of elected councillors of the Sangrur Municipal Council, still no one knows when the fresh polls will be held.

With the MC having no elected representatives, there are allegations that government officials are running the affairs of the council as per their whims and fancies. The delay seems to have given ammunition to political opponents to target the ruling AAP government. Sangrur being CM’s hometown, locals expected early elections after the change of guard in the state last year.

“Earlier, the Congress government did not conduct the MC elections as its leaders feared that ‘corruption’ in developmental works might cost them dearly. Now, the ruling AAP is also delaying the elections as it has failed to take effective steps to fulfil the poll promises made to the voters,” said Sarjiwan Jindal, a local BJP leader, who was vice-president of the MC.

Sources said in 27-ward MC, five councillors were from the Congress, six from the BJP, five independents and 11 were from SAD. With the support of the BJP, SAD candidate Ripudaman Singh Dhillon remained MC president till March 10, 2020. The SAD-BJP alliance failed to take required steps for development of Sangrur as it allegedly did not get required support from the then Congress government. In 2021, a proposal was moved to include some outer colonies in the MC and to increase the number of wards from 27 to 29.

“The number of wards has been increased to 29, while the tenure of the councillors ended on March 10, 2020. The AAP government should hold the MC elections early as in the absence of elected representatives of public, officials are not working properly,” alleged Mahesh Kumar Meshi, former president of the NC, Sangrur.

When contacted, Sangrur AAP MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj said they were expecting elections in coming months.“There is no delay from our side. Hopefully, Sangrur will get elected councillors in coming months,” she said.