6 CONTENDERS IN JALANDHAR

After the Congress registered a landslide victory in the municipal corporation (MC) polls here after 10 years, aspirants are busy lobbying for the post of mayor.

In the list of contenders for the post, five-time councillor and former leader of opposition in Jalandhar MC, Jagdish Raj Raja is a front-runner for the post. However, he is also lobbying for his wife, former senior deputy mayor Anita Raja, a third-time councillor for the post.

Raja won MC elections in 1991, 1997, 2007, 2012 and 2017 and remained an active member of the party. Also, he shares good relations with Jalandhar central MLA Rajinder Beri, who has reportedly recommended his name for the post to the high command.

In this race, fourth-time consecutive councillor Balraj Thakur, who had even filed his nomination before the official candidates’ list was released, is also a strong candidate for the post. Thakur had registered a comfortable win in all the elections.

Sources in the party said that being a loyal Congressman and a senior leader, the party high command may consider him as mayor. He is also a close aide of Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh.

This time, as the state government has made 50% reservation for women candidates and many senior Congress leaders, including Congress MLAs Sushil Rinku and Rajinder Beri, fielded their wives. Speculations are there that the Congress may also announce a woman as mayor for the first time.

Congress MLA Sushil Rinku’s wife Sunita Rinku is a second time MC and Rajinder Beri’s wife Uma Beri won elections for the third time. They both are also in the race for the post. Former councillor Aruna Arona and Surinder Kaur are also the aspirants for the post.