Back from Nepal, sequestered councillors pick deputies in Manesar mayor's absence
BJP
MLA Rao Narbir Singh.
Parveen Yadav, the councillor from Ward 12, was elected senior deputy mayor while Ward 2's Reema Chauhan became deputy mayor.
The absence of mayor Inderjeet Kaur Yadav — an Independent supported by the other faction led by Union minister Rao
Inderjit Singh
— was notable. She cited medical reasons for her absence, sending a letter to MCM commissioner Ayush Sinha just 15 minutes after the election proceedings began around 10.30am. Her absence — along with that of eight other councillors, including five Independents and three BJP members — underscored the factional divide within the corporation.
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The election saw the participation of only 12 councillors in the 20-member civic body. These 12 councillors — all Narbir loyalists — had been sent on a long tour of Nepal. Although officially termed a religious trip of Ayodhya, Varanasi and Nepal, the tour — which began on June 11 — was reportedly a strategic move to prevent any last-minute defections or cross-voting, a common concern in local politics where horse-trading can sway election outcomes.
The tour was organised by Devender Singh Shikohpur, a Narbir loyalist.
The councillors arrived in Manesar on Monday evening. Badshapur MLA and cabinet minister Rao Narbir, who arrived in a Tempo Traveller at the MCM office with the dozen BJP councillors around 10.30pm, said he was happy with the outcome.
"BJP has won both the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. This is the first election in which unanimous victory has been attained," he said.
The minister, however, denied any factionalism within the party. "There are no factions of Rao Narbir or Rao Inderjit. Both the winning posts belong to the BJP. It's one party after all."
BJP's position in MCM has strengthened since the civic elections in March, when the party won only seven seats compared to 13 Independents. Seven Independent councillors later joined BJP, giving it a 14-seat majority in the 20-member house.
The newly elected deputies emphasised their focus on development, particularly sanitation. "We haven't been able to work for four months. Our primary focus is improving Manesar's cleanliness over the next 15 days," the senior deputy mayor said.
Chauhan echoed this sentiment, pledging transparency in sanitation-related tenders and prioritising cleanliness.
The election's outcome points to a shift in local political dynamics, with the Rao Narbir camp gaining an upper hand.
However, with the mayor belonging to the opposing faction, the corporation's functioning could face challenges requiring political negotiations, observers pointed out.
Shikohpur, who had organised the councillors' tour, maintained it was a pre-planned religious visit. "We had made plans two months ago to visit famous Shiva temples during the month of sawan, including the Pashupatinath temple in Nepal," he said.
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