Jalandhar: Mayoral elections were held at the Red Cross Bhawan here this afternoon amid allegations of horse-trading and disregard for the democratic process. Despite the fact that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had touched a comfortable figure of 46 in the 85-ward Municipal Corporation (MC) by bagging eight more councillor posts in the December 21 elections, the party leadership was not sure that it would be able to win the mayoral election. For this reason, the party had asked all its councillors to reach Hotel Radisson by 11.30 am to ensure that all of them were safe and could be taken to the Red Cross Bhawan together in a bus. Those who did not reach the hotel on time were repeatedly called by party leaders to reach the Bhawan. Councillor Amit Dhall and his cousin and Jalandhar (North) constituency in-charge Dinesh Dhall reached the hotel two hours late, that too after repeated calls from the senior leadership. Dhall is said to be upset over not being given any post. By the time Dinesh was brought to the Red Cross Bhawan in the car of Local Bodies Minister Dr Ravjot Singh, the election process was over. He did not even go inside the venue. Independent councillor Tarsem Lakhotra, who joined the AAP a few days ago, did not go to the hotel. While coming straight to the venue, he said, “I have decided to go independent once again. I was brought back to AAP by promising the post of deputy mayor, but they betrayed me again.” Interestingly, this was his second entry and second exit from AAP since July. Tarsem, a Congress councillor, had joined AAP during the Jalandhar (West) by-election. Last month, he quit the party as his name was not in the list of AAP candidates for the municipal corporation elections. Lakhotra was re-inducted into the AAP after winning the municipal corporation elections as an independent candidate. Today, Lakhotra announced that he is once again an independent councillor.
In fact, Lakhotra came and exited the Red Cross Bhawan with Congress MLA Bava Henry. Congress councillor Jasleen Sethi said, “He was also sitting with us at the venue, but AAP leaders took him to the AAP camp.” Women councillors of AAP also looked visibly upset today. “Our party could not find a single suitable female face for any of the top three posts even though 44 women have reached the municipal corporation house,” said a party insider. Ward number 11 councillor Karamjit Kaur, whose name was earlier finalised for the senior deputy mayor post, was replaced by her husband Balbir Bittu, who has been a councillor three times and is considered experienced. Meanwhile, AAP regional secretary Rajwinder Thiara termed all the allegations baseless. “The election process was conducted very smoothly in the presence of all administrative officials. Though women have not got a chance at any top post in the municipal corporation, they will be accommodated in other posts in government departments. There is no truth in the allegations of horse-trading levelled by the opposition.” He also said that councillor Lakhotra is still with the AAP.
