BJP Secures Nayagaon Municipal Council Leadership Despite Internal Strife
Bharatiya Janata Party's Surinder Babbal was elected president and Taranjot Kaur vice-president of the Nayagaon Municipal Council on Friday. Babbal, a realtor and second-time councillor, secured 16 votes. His wife is also among the 21 councillors in the Municipal Council House.
Nayagaon Municipal Council is the only civic body in Punjab where the BJP has managed to install its office-bearers. Senior party leaders Vijay Sampla and Subhash Sharma oversaw the election process but faced challenges from dissident councillors and internal factionalism, as there were two aspirants for the president's post.
High Drama and Accusations of Auctioning Posts
Before the election, high drama unfolded when another aspirant for the president's post, Joginder Pal Gurjar, accused a senior BJP leader of 'auctioning' the posts. Sources said both Babbal and Gurjar were initially shortlisted by the BJP for the president's post. After Babbal was selected, Gurjar was chosen for the vice-president's post, but only four councillors supported him.
A source revealed that it was an Aam Aadmi Party councillor who proposed the name of SAD-turned-BJP leader Taranjot Kaur for the vice-president's post. The election process highlighted the deep factionalism within the local BJP unit.
BJP Swept Nayagaon MC Elections
Riding on migrant families' votes, the BJP swept the Municipal Council elections in Nayagaon by winning 16 of the 21 wards. The Congress and AAP won one seat each, while three Independents emerged victorious. The Shiromani Akali Dal failed to win even a single seat.
New Office-Bearers Outline Priorities
Babbal said he would work for the welfare of the people. Taranjot Kaur said the installation of tubewells to solve the problem of drinking water in the area would be her priority. The new leadership faces the challenge of uniting the faction-ridden party and delivering on their promises to the electorate.
