Rajasthan govt may name JMC-H mayor instead of holding byelection | Jaipur News
The Congress government may appoint an officiating mayor to manage the administration, said sources.
Since a seat is reserved for the OBC women category, the government may appoint a minority candidate as a strategic move to fill that seat and appoint an officiating mayor, said sources. “Nasreen Bano from ward 64 of Kishanpole constituency is the frontrunner. The names of Rabia Gudej and Reshma Kuraishi from ward 56 are also under consideration,” said a source.
“JMC-H areas currently have two Congress MLAs from the minority community, and there are around three lakh voters from this community in the JMC-H area. Chances are strong for the officiating mayor being from this minority,” said a Congress leader.
The Opposition BJP has demanded the mayor’s dismissal and fresh elections. Congress, which has 47 councillors out of the total 100, is likely to avoid a by-poll as it could swing in favour of BJP, said the sources.
Previously, out of nine independent councillors, seven had supported Congress, leading to the party’s victory. “Throughout her two years and nine months in office, mayor Munesh Gurjar has been embroiled in controversies. The JMC-H headquarters saw several protests in her tenure. Congress councillors who supported the Congress board sat on dharnas (protests) to convince the party to listen to them. The government is unlikely to take the risk of holding a by-poll,” said a Congress leader, requesting anonymity.
Congress leaders Giriraj Khandelwal said: “The state government must take firm steps to end corruption in the civic bodies.”
