Ambala mayor’s BJP entry leaves Goel camp jittery
Sharma, wife of former minister Venod Sharma, won the MC elections on their party Haryana Jan Chetna Party (HJCP)’s cylinder symbol in December 2020
The induction of Ambala municipal corporation (MC) mayor Shakti Rani Sharma into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday has triggered alarm bells in the party camp led by Ambala City MLA Aseem Goel.
Sharma, wife of former minister Venod Sharma, won the MC elections on their party Haryana Jan Chetna Party (HJCP)’s cylinder symbol in December 2020. Her younger son Kartikeya Sharma is Rajya Sabha MP from the state, backed by the BJP.
On the other hand, Goel, a second-time BJP MLA was elevated as minister of state (Independent Charge) of transport and women and child development after Nayab Singh Saini became the chief minister replacing Manohar Lal Khattar.
A BJP insider said that the induction of either Venod or Shakti into the party fold was long anticipated. The credit goes to Khattar, who lend support to their son RS MP Kartikeya. The Sharma family also insured Khattar’s win in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls from the Karnal seat, the BJP insider added.
In the Ambala MC election results, HJCP shared equal number of eight seats with the BJP in the 20-member house, where her party accused local MLA Aseem Goel for “interfering in the functioning of house”.
Recently, in the run up for Lok Sabha elections, HJCP member and deputy mayor Rajesh Mehta along with his two aides joined the Congress.
Legal experts suggest that as party supremo Venod Sharma has not joined the BJP or announced any merger with the party, four members of the HJCP are free to move to any party.
Anti-defection law, which punishes individual members of Parliament (MPs)/MLAs for leaving one party for another, does not implement in the case of urban local bodies. So in this case Shakti Rani Sharma can contest on BJP ticket without resigning as the mayor.
Political experts believe that her joining would not only weaken two-time MLA Goel’s alleged interference in the MC affairs but could also force him to change seat.
Suman Bhatnagar, a veteran journalist from Ambala, said, “As Goel is facing heavy anti-incumbency due to tardy development projects in his constituency and state government’s stand on closure of Shambhu border, he is most likely to change his seat to contest on a BJP ticket.”
“Shakti Rani Sharma’s joining also puts her husband in spot, who is also willing to contest in the elections but has not joined BJP. If she does not get a ticket from Ambala City, Venod Sharma won’t be in a position to contest against any BJP nominee from the seat, be it Aseem himself,” he added.
Meanwhile, taking a dig on the development, former Congress state treasurer Rohit Jain said, “The people of Ambala are aware about the intensions of the family that they are into politics just to take forward their businesses. When both husband and wife are in the fray this time, the voters will teach them a lesson this time.”