Chandigarh, October 18
Nearly 10 months after the formation of the new Municipal Corporation House, UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit today nominated nine councillors — all either BJP leaders or party sympathisers.
The nominated councillors are Geeta Chauhan, Anil Masih, Dr Ramneek Singh Bedi, Amit Jindal, Umesh Ghai, Satinder Singh Sidhu, Dr Naresh Panchal, Dharminder Saini and Mohinder Kaur.
Chauhan, city BJP’s Mahila Morcha secretary, is a member of the SC community and has been involved in social work. “Despite being suffering from cancer, she worked for people during Covid,” said a BJP leader.
Masih is the president of the All Churches Council, Punjab and Chandigarh. He is also the general secretary of BJP’s Minority Morcha.
Dr Bedi, a paediatrician, runs a private hospital in Sector 33 and has been associated with the party, while industrialist Jindal, who runs a private college in Panchukla, is a co-treasurer of the city BJP.
Ghai, convener of Art of Living and vice-chairperson of the Chandigarh Residents’ Associations Welfare Federation (CRAWFED), is also a BJP sympathiser. Similarly, Sidhu and Panchal are district presidents of the city BJP.
Saini, a former sarpanch of Daria village, is the vice-president of the Kisan Morcha, BJP. Retired teacher Mohinder Kaur, who runs an NGO and holds blood donation camps regularly, is the co-convener of BJP’s library wing.
“Despite being associated with the BJP, they all come from diverse fields. They will contribute to the MC House with rich experience,” said Chandershekhar, general secretary, BJP.
The nominated councillors have no voting rights in the House, but they can give their views. They can also be members of different MC committees.
The case regarding voting rights of nominated members is pending in the Supreme Court after the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed their voting rights.