Sandeep Rana
Chandigarh, January 2
The city Congress may throw the Mayor’s post into local AAP’s kitty in lieu of senior and deputy mayor’s posts in the mayoral elections.
This is what the current political developments indicate following a joint major protest by the councillors of the two parties against BJP’s Mayor Sarbjit Kaur in the last House meeting of her tenure in December.
Hand in glove, will expose both parties
They are hand in glove. We dare them to have open alliance. We’ll expose them. Will sacrifice 10 posts of Mayor, but won’t compromise on principles. Arun Sood, UT BJP Chief
Truck May harm grand old party
Cong is weakening itself by aligning with AAP. It is giving it room to take a post and show work to public. We saw this in some state elections. A political analyst
Following a logjam in the House, the Mayor had suspended the two councillors for unruly behaviour. Some of them were forcibly taken out of the House by marshals. The local SHO along with other policemen had to be called in to manage the situation.
Sources say talks between some of the top leaders of the two parties are on for an outside understanding to wrest power from the ruling BJP. However, they are yet to get the go-ahead from the high command of their respective units. On giving away two posts to the Congress and settling for Mayor’s post, AAP’s UT president Prem Garg says there is a possibility, but the decision will be taken by the high command. “If we unite nobody can defeat us. If the Congress does not want to see a BJP Mayor, they should support us. The Congress should tell us what they want. It will not be an alliance, they can simply support us,” he added.
A senior Congress leader says: “We are in talks with them. It is being worked out whether to contest one or two posts.” Party’s UT president HS Lucky says: “The decision in this regard will be taken by the central leadership.”
Sources say there may also be a possibility of some councillors switching sides and joining the BJP. For his part, ruling BJP’s unit chief Arun Sood says: “They (Congress, AAP) are hand in glove. We dare them to have alliance in the open. We will expose them before public. We are ready to sacrifice 10 posts of Mayor, but will not compromise on our principles.” The BJP feels it will get the lone vote of the SAD, which has not opened its card yet. The party requires three votes to reach the majority mark of 19. A political analyst says: “By aligning with the AAP, the Congress is weakening itself.”
Talks on for ‘outside alliance’
Congress may give Mayor’s post to AAP, settle for Senior and Deputy Mayor’s posts
AAP’s UT chief Prem Garg says this is a possibility, but the final decision will be taken by the party high command
A Cong leader says they are in talks, but are yet to decide on whether to contest 1 or 2 posts
