Nearly two weeks after the declaration of the urban local bodies election results, Punjab’s municipal corporations in Bathinda and Barnala on Thursday elected new mayors, with both cities choosing relatively young leaders who have promised to focus on development and civic infrastructure.
While 27-year-old Padamjit Singh Mehta was unanimously elected Mayor of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation for a second consecutive term, 35-year-old Hasan Bhardwaj, a former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, became the first Mayor of the Barnala Municipal Corporation.
The elections come at a time when residents of both cities are expecting the newly elected civic bodies to address long-pending civic issues, particularly recurring waterlogging that continues to affect several localities even after moderate rainfall.
Mehta retains Bathinda mayoral post
Padamjit Singh Mehta, who was elected unopposed from Ward No. 46, was unanimously chosen Mayor of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation. The election was conducted in the presence of Faridkot Divisional Commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar at the Bathinda District Administrative Complex. Punjab Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian was also present.
Following the election, Mundian and Mehta said efforts would be made to accelerate Bathinda’s development and improve civic amenities.
In the municipal elections, held on May 26 with results declared on May 29, the Aam Aadmi Party secured a comfortable majority by winning 36 of the corporation’s 50 wards.
The elections, however, witnessed intense political rivalry within local AAP circles. Mehta’s camp faced opposition from Bathinda Urban MLA Jagroop Singh Gill, who openly backed rival candidates in several wards. Gill’s nephew’s wife, Ramanjeet Kaur, won Ward No. 3 as an Independent candidate after defeating the official AAP nominee.
The campaign was also marked by controversy after a firing incident outside Kaur’s residence hours before polling. Gill had demanded registration of an FIR against Mehta and his father, Amarjit Singh Mehta, though police eventually registered a case against unidentified persons. Despite the tensions, candidates backed by the Mehta camp secured a majority in the corporation.
Padamjit Mehta is the son of Amarjit Singh Mehta, president of the Punjab Cricket Association. He entered municipal politics after winning the Ward No. 46 bypoll in December 2024. The seat had fallen vacant after Jagroop Singh Gill was elected MLA in 2022.
In February this year, Mehta became Bathinda’s Mayor after then Congress Mayor Raman Goyal failed to prove her majority during a no-confidence motion.
At the age of 26, he became the youngest Mayor in Bathinda’s history after securing the support of 33 councillors despite being the only elected AAP councillor in the corporation at the time. He holds a degree in Business Management from the University of Westminster and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Regent’s University in the United Kingdom.
Barnala elects first Mayor
In Barnala, Hasan Bhardwaj was elected the first Mayor of the Municipal Corporation, marking a milestone for the city, which was upgraded from a municipal council to a municipal corporation in recent years. His wife, Mamta Sharma, is a banker and currently serves as Assistant Vice-President of SBI’s Hong Kong branch.
The mayoral election was held at the Shri Ram Sarup Ankhi Memorial Library in the Municipal Corporation complex. Newly elected councillors were administered the oath of office before the election. The proceedings were supervised by Patiala Divisional Commissioner Vinay Bublani.
Bhardwaj formally assumed office in the presence of Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Mehal Kalan MLA Kulwant Singh Pandori and Bhadaur MLA Labh Singh Ugoke.
The AAP also secured a comfortable victory in Barnala, winning 36 of the 50 wards. The BJP won seven wards, Congress five, while the Shiromani Akali Dal and an Independent candidate won one ward each.
According to sources, Bhardwaj served as OSD to Meet Hayer during his tenure as Barnala MLA and later as Punjab Sports Minister.
Congratulating the newly elected Mayor, Cheema and Meet Hayer expressed confidence that the new civic body would accelerate the city’s development.
Addressing the media, Cheema said the election results reflected public support for the governance model of the Bhagwant Mann government and asserted that adequate funds would be provided for development works. He also took a swipe at the BJP, noting that despite state BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon hailing from Barnala, the party had failed to make significant gains in the civic polls.
Meet Hayer said Barnala was granted Municipal Corporation status with the vision of transforming it into a model city and expressed confidence that the Mayor and councillors would work collectively towards that goal.
Citizens expect action on civic issues
While both newly elected mayors have outlined ambitious development plans, residents say their immediate expectations centre on improvements in basic civic infrastructure.
Waterlogging remains one of the biggest concerns in both cities, with several localities witnessing flooding even during mild rainfall. Residents are also seeking improvements in sanitation, solid waste management, road infrastructure, street lighting and other urban services.
Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer (right) and Padamjit Singh Mehta. (Credits: Facebook/ Padamjeet Mehta) 
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