Chandigarh, March 9 In a major development in the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh and for the INDIA Bloc days ahead of the implementation of the mode code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections, two out of the three AAP councillors -- Neha Musawat and Poonam Kumari -- who had switched loyalties last month, did a 'Ghar Wapsi' by rejoining the AAP on Saturday.
“Two AAP councillors -- Neha Musawat (Ward No. 19) and Poonam Kumari (Ward No. 16) -- have rejoined the Aam Aadmi Party under the leadership of @RajbirGhumanAAP, OSD to Punjab CM and S.S. Ahluwalia, Sah-Prabhari, AAP Chandigarh,” Punjab AAP announced on X, adding, “Warm welcome to both the councillors on their 'Ghar Wapsi'.”
This development is significant, coming just two days ahead of the polls to the crucial five-member finance and contract committee (F&CC) of the Municipal Corporation scheduled on March 11.
Both the AAP and the Congress are part of the INDIA Bloc in Chandigarh.
Political observers said with the strengthening of the House, the Corporation can implement its poll promise of supplying 20,000 litres of free water to each household in Chandigarh every month, on the pattern of Delhi, and the charges will be levied after the fixed quantity.
Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
After the General House, the F&CC is the second-most powerful committee, holding the power to approve projects and developmental works worth Rs 50 lakh. Projects costing more than Rs 50 lakh are discussed and approved by the House.
Now, the BJP has 15 councillors in the House of 35, while AAP has 12, and the Congress seven. The Shiromani Akali Dal has one councillor.
Chandigarh's BJP MP Kirron Kher also has voting rights as an ex-officio member of the Corporation.
The BJP's Kuljit Singh Sandhu and Rajinder Sharma had on March 4 won the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively, by defeating INDIA bloc candidates Gurpreet Singh Gabi and Nirmala Devi in the re-elections.
The results were announced by the INDIA bloc's Mayor, Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, who was the presiding authority for the polls.
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