AAP to get first mayor in Punjab, Congress nominee loses trust vote in Moga

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to get its first mayor in Punjab as Nitika Bhalla of the Congress was ousted from the post in the Moga Municipal Corporation after she lost a no-confidence motion in the House meeting on Tuesday.

In the 50-member House, 41 councillors led by Moga MLA Dr Amandeep Kaur Arora voted in favour of the no-confidence motion. Bhalla got the support of only six councillors. Two councillors remained absent.

Of the 41 councillors, 32 are from the AAP and nine are from other parties who extended support to the ruling party.

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On June 7, 42 councillors signed a no-confidence motion against Bhalla and submitted it to the MC joint commissioner. Last week, the councillors submitted another no-confidence motion against senior deputy mayor Parveen Kumar Sharma, deputy mayor Ashok Dhamija and the finance and contract committee (F&CC).

Moga MC commissioner Poonam Singh said that the resolution for the no-confidence motion against Bhalla was passed, while the no-confidence motion against the senior deputy mayor and the deputy mayor was rejected. “In the first meeting at 7.30am, only seven councillors, including Bhalla, participated. The quorum was not complete as only seven councillors were present. As a two-thirds majority is required, the mayor rejected the no-confidence motion against the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, so it was not made part of today’s agenda. During the second meeting, voting was conducted on a no-confidence motion against the mayor,” she said.

Ward number 42 councillor Gaurav Gupta, who had won the election on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) symbol, is the frontrunner for the top civic body post. He joined the AAP only last month.

In 2021, the Moga Municipal Corporation elections were held for 50 wards. The Congress had bagged 20 seats, while the SAD had won 15. Another 10 seats were won by Independents, while four were won by the AAP and one by the BJP. Ten independents had supported then ruling Congress and Bhalla was elected first woman mayor of Moga.

Since the AAP won the assembly elections, 32 councillors from the Congress, the SAD and the BJP have joined the AAP, taking the official count for the party to 36.

Huge victory, says AAP MLA

AAP MLA Dr Arora said: “The AAP won 41 out of 50 votes in the Moga Municipal Corporation. It is a huge victory. Soon Moga Municipal Corporation will get new AAP mayor. Big Congratulations to all AAP for huge win.”

“There is talk of some names in the city but nothing is finalised yet. The party will hold a discussion with all councillors in consultation with local MLAs and after that the high command will decide on the name of the new mayor,” she said.

Bhalla said: “I’m thankful to all those who supported me during my tenure. It is not over yet, I will meet everyone and get back to the same position very soon. I have done everything for the development of the city and my tenure has been clean. Not a single allegation has been levelled against me.”

By taking over the control of Moga MC, the ruling AAP has taken a step toward gaining control over civic bodies in the state. The next plan is likely to take over Kotkapura municipal council as the AAP has already become the single largest party with the joining of 11 councillors in the 29-member House.