Chandigarh, 21 Feb :
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday received a shot in the arm when the Supreme Court (SC) declared its candidate Kuldeep Dhalor as the winner of the city council mayoral election, few month before the Lok Sabha municipal elections.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost power in MC after 8 years and AAP was able to appoint its mayor for the first time despite the party having the highest number of councilors in the civic body polls 2021. However, the victory came with much bigger challenges for Dhalor, especially with the BJP holding a majority in the House.
Three AAP councilors switched to the BJP on Sunday, taking the party's tally from 14 to 17. The AAP is left with 10 councillors, while the Congress has seven and one is Hiromani Akali Dal, an ally of the BJP. AAP and Congress contested the mayoral election together. The alliance polled 20 votes, but eight of them were declared invalid by President Anil Masih, who declared BJP candidate Manoj Sonkar as the winner.
However, the apex court ordered a fresh recount after noting that Masih's defacement of the eight ballots in question was "clear", handing victory to Dhalor.
Dhalor will have to be cautious throughout his one-year term. As per Chapter II, Article 39 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 (extended to the Union Territory of Chandigarh), the Councilor performs the functions of Mayor, Principal Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor may be dismissed by a resolution passed by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members of the corporation present and voting at the meeting according to the prescribed format.
His removal would therefore require 24 councilors to vote against him and the BJP, even with the additional votes of SAD and former full-time MP Kirron Kher, does not have enough votes.
However, the BJP is unlikely to make things easier for the mayor, who will now focus on implementing the promises made by the AAP – including mohalla clinics in all sectors, 24-hour water supply 7 7, among others – before December 2021. civil body elections.
A local leader said getting the MC's proposal passed in the House will be a difficult task for Dhalor.
The BJP getting significant support from the nine nominated councilors will further strengthen the party's presence in the House even in matters that do not require a vote.
However, Dhalor affirmed that he will do everything in his power to ensure the development of the city,