The ongoing rift between top officials of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation spilled out into the open on Monday. A heated argument erupted between the Mayor and the Senior Deputy Mayor during a crucial meeting of the Finance and Contract Committee, held at the Mayor’s camp office, regarding a proposal to repair a major bridge. The situation escalated to the point where the Senior Deputy Mayor, expressing deep displeasure, walked out of the meeting midway and returned home.
According to reports, the dispute centered on a proposal to repair a prominent city bridge. Although administrative approval for the project had been granted in an earlier meeting, a disagreement arose regarding the specifications of two safety walls included in the construction plan. The Mayor raised questions about the design; the proposed plan called for one wall to be built of concrete and the other of ordinary brick. Questioning this discrepancy, the Mayor demanded an explanation from the concerned technical officials as to why the two walls were not being constructed uniformly. Intervening at this point, the Senior Deputy Mayor stated that the construction work fell within his ward and that he would provide the explanation himself. This led to a verbal altercation between the two elected representatives.
**Allegations of stalling work**
The dispute soon escalated into personal accusations. The Senior Deputy Mayor alleged that development files pertaining to his area were being deliberately suppressed and stalled. In response, the Mayor took a firm stand, stating that the file in question would remain pending.
Upset by this acrimony, the Senior Deputy Mayor immediately boycotted the meeting and walked out. Speaking to the media, he expressed his grievance, stating that there was no point in attending such meetings if development works in his ward were to be stalled and he was subjected to unfair treatment. This incident has sparked intense speculation and discussion within the municipal administration and political circles.
