AAP’s Vaneet Dhir elected as 7th Jalandhar mayor

Balbir Singh Bittu Dhillon was named senior deputy mayor, while Malkeet Singh has been appointed as deputy mayor.

First-time Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Vaneet Dhir was elected as the seventh mayor of Jalandhar municipal corporation on Saturday.

AAP councillor Vaneet Dhir with state chief Aman Arora shows victory signs after getting elected as mayor of Jalandhar municipal corporation on Saturday. (ANI)

Balbir Singh Bittu Dhillon was named senior deputy mayor, while Malkeet Singh has been appointed as deputy mayor. Interestingly, all the top three office-bearers are turncoats and were elected unanimously.

AAP state’s president Aman Arora, who was accompanied by a battery of senior leaders of the party, held a meeting with the councillors before making the formal announcement.

To avoid any sort of poaching attempt, all 46 councillors were brought in a bus to the venue and were restricted from interacting with the councillors of opposition parties and the media.

A councillor from ward number 62, Dhir, joined the AAP just before the municipal corporation elections and won with a margin of 3,596 votes last month.

Dhir started his political career with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It is his second stint in the AAP as he first joined the ruling party in 2022 before leaving it last year to rejoin BJP along with former MP Sushil Kumar Rinku. He then switched to AAP again just before the civic body polls.

Thanking the party leadership, Dhir said his main focus would remain on the overall development of the city, besides improving basic amenities.

“We will prepare a detailed development plan, which will be executed throughout the city,” he said.

AAP emerged as the single largest party with 38 seats in the 85-member House. AAP crossed the majority mark of 46 after two councillors each from the Congress councillors and the BJP besides two independents pledged support.

Bittu Dhillon has remained a three-time councillor from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), while deputy mayor Maleet remained an Akali sarpanch from Subhana before joining AAP two years ago.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann congratulated the newly elected office- bearers and said that the AAP government is committed to the development of Jalandhar.

“The city’s development and modernisation remain a top priority,” Mann said.

Meanwhile, Arora said the appointment of an AAP mayor will accelerate Jalandhar’s development.

“Jalandhar will write a new chapter of development. The people of Jalandhar gave the AAP a decisive mandate in the municipal elections, making it possible for the party to have the top three posts with a clear majority today,” he said.

However, the AAP had ignored the women, who have 50% representation in the House, for the top posts in the corporation.

Arora said the party had always given top priority and the women councillors will be given key responsibilities in the civic bodies across the state in days to come.

Congress’ MLA from Jalandhar North Avtar Singh Bawa Henry slammed the AAP for ignoring women.

“Despite having 50% of representation in the house, the women are feeling betrayed,” he said.

Commissioner of Jalandhar Division Arun Sekhri administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly elected councillors.