Weeks after Assembly polls, Panchkula Municipal Corporation is set to elect their Senior Deputy and Deputy Mayor. The election will take place in Kisan Bhavan, Sector 14 and is due on November 4.
The elections are being held under the orders of the Punjab and Haryana high court as the posts were kept vacant for more than two years. Currently, BJP boosts nine elected councillors, including Panchkula Mayor and three nominated councillors. Congress, on the other hand, has ten elected councillors along with Panchkula MLA and Ambala MP as ex-officio members with voting rights.
Two electedmembers from JJP are likely to hold the key during the elections. Even as Congress and BJP are yet to open their cards, hectic lobbying has begun in both camps to pick candidates for both posts.
Notably, after losing the Assembly elections, BJP is no mood to give it up and may use their best of their skills and resources as Kulbhushan Goyal comes from BJP and won in direct elections for the Panchkula Mayor post.
Meanwhile, Congress which now boosts sufficient number of councillors and given the concept of ‘WHIP’ as anti-defection is not applicable in civic bodies, hence there are chances that councillors may switch the sides.
‘We are resting on the power of the party to win the elections for the post. The preparations are in full swing and we are hopeful to give a tough fight and emerge as victors.’ Said Panchkula Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal.
‘We along with the MC Ward Councillors are going to ensure to put our best foot forward and win the Senior Deputy and Deputy Mayor post.’ Said Panchkula MLA Chandermohan Bishnoi.
‘The election for Senior Deputy and Deputy Mayor were long overdue since January 2021. The Municipal Corporation was supposed to elect candidates for the post immediately after the mayor elections but the MC officials simply neglected it. The elections were only possible after countless pleas and the High court’s order to Municipal Corporation. We, along with the ward councillors, from Jannayak Janata Party, are fully prepared and hopefully win the posts under our name.’ said JJP District President OP Sihag.
