How important Patiala will be during the upcoming election battle for Punjab was in full swing on Thursday when the city’s mayor, a close aide of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, faced a no-confidence motion against him moved by councilors close to a minister. Charanjit Singh Channi in cabinet.
Captain Amarinder himself was present in the corporation office where the confidence motion was to be moved. Outside, his daughter sat down on the stairs in protest, making it clear that the Battle of Patiala would be vigorously fought. The former chief minister has already announced that he will contest from Patiala.
There was a ruckus inside the Patiala Municipal Corporation as soon as voting started on the no-confidence motion against the decree of the Congress government to remove Patiala Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu. Both sides are claiming victory. Bittu, claiming the support of over 30 councillors, alleged that the police forcibly removed two.
However, Brahm Mohindra, a minister in the Channi cabinet, denied the proposal was a failure and claimed that Bittu had failed to garner the support of just over 20 councillors. There were chaotic scenes in the civic body even when Captain Amarinder Singh reached the office, with the police allegedly ousting two of Bittu’s associates from the office. While Bittu claimed that they were his two assistant councillors, the police claimed that they were Bittu supporters and not the councillors.
Interestingly, Bittu was telecasting the proceedings from his Facebook page and even some councilors close to him were shown dragging. Some police officers later snatched her cell phone to prevent her from telecasting the proceedings live.
While all this was happening, Amarinder was watching the proceedings, monitoring as a large crowd of policemen.
The Congress on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Amarinder’s wife and Patiala MP Preneet Kaur, seeking an explanation for her “anti-party activities”. Kaur has been asked to explain her stand within seven days.
Notably, Amarinder had resigned as the Chief Minister of Punjab in September amid a bitter power struggle with state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Channi had replaced Amarinder Singh.
After his sudden exit from the state government, Amarinder formed his own political party and named it Punjab Lok Congress. He is hoping for a seat arrangement with the BJP for the upcoming elections. Amarinder had also announced that he would contest from his family’s stronghold Patiala seat in the 2022 assembly elections. He has represented the seat four times – in 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017.
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