The stage is set for a stormy final session of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation's (MC) general house this year, with opposition parties gearing up for a fierce confrontation with the ruling administration over allegations of financial opacity and mismanagement. The meeting, scheduled for next week, will be only the third session of the current house, with the previous two having devolved into what participants described as complete chaos.
Secrecy and Last-Minute Agendas Spark Outrage
At the heart of the controversy is the alleged sidelining of elected councillors in critical financial decisions. Opposition members claim they have been kept in the dark regarding more than 1,200 resolutions reportedly discussed and approved by the Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC). A recurring complaint is the failure to receive the meeting agenda well in advance, a tactic they say mirrors the events of the May session. In that instance, nearly 1,000 resolutions were delivered to councillors' phones just one day before the meeting, leaving no time for proper scrutiny.
Congress leader and opposition head in the MC, Sham Sunder Malhotra, highlighted the lack of communication, stating that the exact date of the meeting itself was not yet formally shared. He emphasized that a strategy would be formed only after the relevant documents are finally circulated among party councillors.
Opposition Vows to Highlight Civic Failures
The opposition plans to use the house platform to amplify concerns about the deteriorating civic conditions in Ludhiana. BJP councillor Suman Verma launched a sharp critique, stating that the city is in poor condition and officials are only attentive to the governing side's MLAs. Verma linked the opposition's weakened position to a two-year delay between assembly and municipal house elections, which she believes has impacted their functional strength.
"We will fight for the rights of the citizens in the MC house if given a chance because in the last meeting, they were not allowed to raise their voice amidst chaos," Verma asserted. The opposition's strategy will focus intensely on the contentious proposal to expand the city limits and the perceived lack of transparency in how public funds are being allocated.
Governing Side Appeals for Orderly Discussion
In response to the brewing storm, the ruling side has called for calm and constructive dialogue. Senior Deputy Mayor Rakesh Prashar dismissed the opposition's allegations, assuring that the final date for the meeting is being finalized and the agenda would be provided to all councillors "in time." He urged the opposition to adopt a more collaborative approach.
Prashar suggested it would be more beneficial for the city if the opposition councillors "sit in the meeting for positive discussion so that the city should get better facilities instead of creating a hue and cry over petty issues." Whether this appeal will temper the charged atmosphere or the session will witness another round of acrimony remains to be seen as Ludhiana's civic politics reaches another fever pitch.
