BJP rebel in Mayor race

CHANDIGARH, Dec 17: Eight nomination papers were filed today for the posts of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor of the 29-membe...

CHANDIGARH, Dec 17: Eight nomination papers were filed today for the posts of mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor of the 29-member Municipal Corporation, the elections to which are scheduled for December 23.

The post of mayor is reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate this year, as per the MC Act. While Rajinder Kumar, representing ward number 15, filed his papers for the post as the BJP candidate, Kamlesh of ward number 18 submitted her papers as the Congress nominee. Rebel BJP councillor Kewal Krishan Adiwal, owing allegiance to local MP Satya Pal Jain, also filed his papers for the post.

Those who filed their papers for the post of senior deputy mayor included SAD nominee Mohinder Singh of ward number 13, Gurcharan Das Kala of ward 20 Congress and Kanhaya Lal, the incumbent BJP senior deputy mayor. Des Raj Tandon BJP and Bachan Singh BJP rebel filed their papers for the post of deputy mayor.

Kewal Krishan, Kanhaya Lal and Bachan Singh are among the seven BJP councillors who had been suspended from the party for allegedly voting against official party candidate Des Raj Tandon for the membership of the MC Finance and Contracts Committee on December 1.

Sources say the BJP8217;s seven-member core committee decided on the choice of candidates at a meeting held today. The meeting was attended by only three members acirc;euro;rdquo; Mayor Gian Chand Gupta, party president Dharam Pal Gupta and Des Raj Tandon. Local MP Satya Pal Jain and Yashpal Mahajan did not attend the meeting. The remaining two members 8212; Neeraj Tayal and Mahabir Prasad acirc;euro;rdquo; were out of station, according to Dharam Pal Gupta.

Meanwhile, claiming the support of the SAD, BJP rebels and Samajwadi Janata Party, Congress councillor Kamlesh said the party would win the post of mayor and senior deputy mayor. However, city SAD president Gurpartap Singh Riar said his party councillors will vote for the official BJP-SAD candidates.