Akalis’ fight brings Faridkot MC to standstill - Councillors seek state govt’s help to end impasse; MC chief yet to be elected

Monday, 22/06/2015

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/

Faridkot : As the power struggle between two groups of Akalis in Faridkot has brought the working of the Municipal Committee (MC) to a standstill, elected municipal councillors have sought the help of the state government to end the impasse.

Because of the power struggle between the Akali leaders, in the past four months, 25 elected councillors in Faridkot have failed to elect their president and the vice-president. In their absence, all routine and development works in the Faridkot MC have come to a standstill.

In a memorandum submitted to the state government through the Faridkot Deputy Commissioner, the elected councillors have said that the absence of the MC president had created problems in the administration of the municipality.

In Faridkot, where the SAD(B) and the BJP have won 8 seats and 4 seats, respectively, out of a total of 25 seats, two groups of the Akali Dal are struggling hard to elect the member of their choice as the president and the vice-president of the Faridkot MC. Nine elected councillors are Independent and four belong to the Congress.

Earlier, the councillors made two attempts to elect their president on March 11 and April 23 but because of the rift among the Akali leaders, they failed to do the same. Because of the ongoing rift, election of the MC president was postponed for an indefinite time.

After all 25 newly elected Municipal Councillors in Faridkot were sworn in as new members on March 18 and the Faridkot SDM relinquished the charge of the post of the administrator of the MC Faridkot, in the absence of the MC president and the administrator, all works in the committee have stuck in the political logjam.

As the situation was affecting adversely the functioning of the Faridkot MC, the district administration had only got the signature power from the local Bodies Department to execute necessary and routine works.

In the absence of the administrator and the MC president, several bills are pending for clearance. There is also no meeting of the committee members.

Earlier on March 11, when the elected MCs of Faridkot assembled in the meeting hall to elect the president, there was a lot of hullaballoo as some hooligans entered the meeting hall. They broke furniture and threw chairs on the members of one group.

Because of the violence during the meeting, the district administration postponed the election of the MC president for an indefinite time.

Deep Malhotra, MLA, Faridkot, said the MC president would be elected in the coming days and all differences within the party were sorted out.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Tayyab said the Faridkot SDM would hold a meeting of the councillors to elect the president and the vice-president in the coming days.