The election for the Zila Parishad Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson took place in Muktsar on Tuesday. Following the vote, Gurvinder Kaur Malout of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was elected Chairperson.
Meanwhile, Kulwinder Kaur Jassiana of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was unanimously elected Vice-Chairperson, as AAP did not field a candidate for the post. The proceedings were held at the Red Cross Building.
SAD has raised serious questions regarding the election process. Former MLA and District President Kanwarjit Singh ‘Rozi’ Barkandi alleged that the administration acted high-handedly at the behest of the ruling party. He claimed that out of the district’s 13 seats, SAD held seven, while AAP held five and the Congress held one.
What did the SAD leader claim?
Given this arithmetic, the Chairperson should have been from SAD. SAD leader Manjinder Singh Bittu claimed they had nine votes, including those of two Block Samiti Chairpersons. He stated that one vote was declared invalid, and another member’s vote was forcibly aligned with AAP, resulting in their defeat by a margin of 8-7. He alleged that the SDM acted arbitrarily under pressure from a minister and an MLA. SAD has made it clear that it will challenge the entire matter in the High Court. According to the administration, there was a quorum of 17 members. In the election for Chairperson, AAP received eight votes, SAD received seven, and one vote was declared invalid. One Zila Parishad member affiliated with the Congress remained absent.
AAP Celebrates
AAP celebrated the election of its candidate as Chairperson. Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur, MLA Jagdeep Singh ‘Kaka’ Brar, and Sunny Dhillon—brother of Gidderbaha MLA Hardeep Singh ‘Dimpy’ Dhillon—were present on the occasion. Newly appointed Chairperson Gurvinder Kaur Malot stated that she would prioritize development work and remain committed to resolving the public’s issues. Vice Chairperson Kulvinder Kaur Jassiana affirmed that she would work for the people while sharing the dais equally with the Chairperson. Officials engaging in high-handedness will not be spared.
Former SAD MLA Kanwarjit Singh ‘Rozi’ Barkandi noted that the ruling party had previously boycotted the election when it was originally scheduled. Now, during the election held on Tuesday—the second attempt—officials openly engaged in high-handed tactics at the behest of the ruling party. Officials responsible for such actions will not be spared.
The AAP will hold the chairmanship for only four months, after which the public will respond to their high-handedness in the assembly elections. He mentioned that on Monday—the day before the election—the police had detained their Block Samiti Chairman without any valid reason; they managed to secure his release later that evening. This reflects the government’s desperation.
