In a major setback to the ruling SAD-BJP combine, rebel Akali leader Kulwant Singh was "unanimously" elected the first mayor of Mohali Municipal Corporation here today.
A leading realtor and former Mohali Municipal Council president, Singh had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Fatehgarh Sahib (Reserve) constituency on a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) ticket.
Following a spat with SAD's Mohali affairs in-charge and former Union minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia over ticket distribution for the maiden Mohali Municipal Corporation polls held on February 22, Kulwant Singh turned rebel and floated his own outfit -- Azad Group -- to contest all the 50 seats.
The Azad Group won 11 seats in the elections. Later in April, one Azad Group councillor, Amteshwar Kaur, died.
Since no party or group got absolute majority in the elections, Kulwant joined hands with Congress, which has 14 councillors, and two Independents -- Manjit Singh Sethi and Harwinder Kaur Lang -- to take control of the corporation. Both Independents were also rebel Akalis.
Kulwant also had support of Mohali Congress MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu, who is an ex-officio member of the Corporation.
Though the special meeting to elect the mayor was fixed for 3 pm, the Kulwant Singh-led Azad Group, Independents and Congress councillors along with MLA Sidhu reached Municipal Bhawan in Sector 68 at 11.30 am to avert any unwanted incident at the later stage.
With no other option left, the SAD-BJP combine's 23 councillors (16 of SAD and 7 of BJP) abstained from the meeting, following which Kulwant was "unanimously elected" the first Mayor of Mohali Municipal Corporation.
With 28 votes, including that of the Mohali MLA, who as ex-officio member has voting right, the Kulwant group elected Rishav Jain of Congress as Senior Deputy Mayor and Independent Sethi as Deputy Mayor of the Corporation, officials said.
Ropar Divisional Commissioner S Karuna Raju was the Returning Officer of the mayoral election. Deputy Commissioner T P S Sidhu and Municipal Commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta were also present at the special meeting.
