Patiala Municipal Corporation House witnessed ruckus during voting on the no-confidence motion for removing incumbent Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu with Punjab Minister Brahm Mohindra stating that "he lost the confidence vote" while former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh maintaining that the vote could not be passed despite the use of "state machinery" for "intimidating the elected councillors".
Mohindra said Bittu remains "suspended".
"He lost the confidence vote and for all purposes, he remains suspended. Dy Mayor will chair Mayor's office till further elections...Such circumstances created due to his own attitude," he said.
Bittu has been supporting Capt Amarinder Singh, who resigned as Chief Minister in September and has decided to float a new political party.
Capt Amarinder Singh, who had gone to Patiala Municipal Corporation, accused the Congress government of "high handedness".
"Utterly shameful that the @INCPunjab govt. which is on its last leg, is using the state machinery to intimidate the elected councillors of Patiala. Despite all the high handedness they couldn't pass the vote of no confidence against the Mayor as they were well short of numbers," he said in a tweet.
Mohindra said Bittu needed 31 votes to prove his majority but did not have requisite support.
"The work of the Municipal Corporation Office will be taken over by Deputy Mayor Yogendra Yogi," he said.
Yogendra Yogi said that there was an argument between him and Bittu. He accused Bittu of "inappropriate behaviour".
Bittu later said he proved "his majority" in the House.
( With inputs from ANI )
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