Congress to appoint two women mayors in MCs, says Navjot Singh Sidhu

Punjab Local Bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu (Express File Photo by Kamleshwar Singh) 

Amid intense lobbying for the posts of mayor, Punjab Local Bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said that the Congress government would appoint not one, but two women as mayors in the newly formed Municipal Corporations (MCs) in the state. He said that out of the total four corporation, including Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala and Ludhiana, the state government would like to appoint at least two women candidates as mayors as Congress government had provided 50 per cent reservation to women candidates in corporation elections. Ludhian corporation elections are due in January.

Meanwhile, he said that Chief Minister Amarinder Singh would take the final call on the name of the mayors. Among women councillors, the name of Jalandhar West MLA Sushil Rinku’s wife, Sunita Rinku, Jalandhar Central MLA Rajinder Beri’s wife, Uma Beri, Anita Raja, Surinder Kaur and Aruna Arora are believed to be under consideration.

Meanwhile, a day after Gujarat election results, Sidhu said that though BJP had won Gujarat election, but Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s had emerged as the real winner. “…the results of Gujarat are a mark of revival of the Congress party in the country,” said Sidhu, adding that under the able leadership of Rahul Gandhi Congress would soon stage a comeback in the country by giving a crushing defeat to the communal forces.

Sidhu also said that the tourism and cultural affairs department has made a recommendation to the state government for keeping a budgetary allocation of Rs 25 lakh for the prestigious Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan in Jalandhar.