Samana becomes youngest mayor of Mohali

Mohali: In a politically charged first house meeting marked by a Congress walkout and an unexpected show of support from the BJP, 35-year-old AAP leader Sarabjit Singh Samana was unanimously elected mayor of the Mohali municipal corporation on Tuesday, becoming the youngest to hold the post. A three-time councillor and son of AAP MLA Kulwant Singh, Samana secured across-the-board backing.Rajinder Parshad (RP) Sharma was elected senior deputy mayor, while Harpal Singh Channa assumed charge as deputy mayor.The elections to the three key posts were held during the inaugural meeting of the newly constituted House following the civic polls. Samana received unanimous support from all 27 AAP councillors and ex-officio member MLA Kulwant Singh. Punjab minister Aman Arora and councillor Dr Sunny Singh Ahluwalia also backed his candidature.A brief installation ceremony was held in the MC house with Arora, Kulwant and Ahluwalia escorting Samana to the mayor’s chair.Prior to the mayoral elections, all 50 newly elected councillors of the municipal corporation were administered the oath of office. The oath-taking ceremony and the election proceedings were conducted under the supervision of Manvesh Singh Sidhu, commissioner, Rupnagar division, who acted as the convener, while councillor Gurmukh Singh Sohal served as the presiding officer.The atmosphere at the MC office was celebratory as Samana’s supporters and family members greeted him with garlands and laddoos. His mother, wife and children were also present during the installation ceremony and joined supporters in celebrations.Punjab minister and AAP state president Aman Arora, who was deputed by the party high command to oversee the mayoral elections, thanked the residents of Mohali for giving the AAP a decisive mandate in the corporation elections.“We thank the people of Mohali for voting the Aam Aadmi Party to power with an absolute majority in the House. Mohali will now witness holistic development with honesty, transparency, and dedication. Punjab is already experiencing development under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal and chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann,” he said.Thanking all elected councillors for ensuring the smooth conduct of the election process, Arora said he was grateful to the 35 councillors who supported the AAP’s candidates, including 27 councillors from the party. He said the proceedings reflected the unity of the party and its collective commitment to serving the residents of Mohali.Expressing happiness over his son’s election, MLA Kulwant Singh described the outcome as a victory for the people of Mohali.“The city will now witness balanced and inclusive growth. The key issues affecting residents will be addressed one by one, and the municipal corporation will work to ensure overall development across all sectors,” he said.BOXCongress stages walkoutCongress councillors staged a walkout during the first meeting of the newly elected Mohali municipal corporation house on Tuesday, protesting what they termed the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s refusal to accommodate opposition voices and the absence of women in the corporation’s top leadership positions.The walkout was led by Congress mayoral candidate Narpinder Singh Rangi and was joined by councillors Baljit Kaur, Anuradha Anand and other party members. Before leaving the corporation building, the Congress councillors raised slogans against the AAP govt in Punjab.Addressing the media after the walkout, Rangi said, “The Aam Aadmi Party has become a ‘Khaas Aadmi Party’. They did not allow us to have our say in the house. We demanded representation for a Congress candidate in the corporation’s leadership structure, but our demand was rejected. As a mark of protest, we staged a walkout.”Rangi said Congress councillors also walked out to protest the non-representation of women in the three key positions of the municipal corporation.He argued that while the AAP projects itself as a party committed to inclusive governance, its actions reflected the dominance of a select group rather than broad-based representation. He criticized the ruling party for not ensuring women’s participation in the corporation’s top decision-making positions.The Congress leader said his party would continue to raise public issues both inside and outside the House and would act as a vigilant opposition.“We will perform the role of a strong and responsible opposition in the corporation. The Congress will continue to safeguard the interests of the people and will not compromise on public welfare under any circumstances,” Rangi said.Box: ‘Have faith in Samana’, BJP votes in his favourDuring the mayoral election, BJP councillors raised their hands in favour of AAP’s Sarabjit Singh Samana. The party councillors said that they have faith in Samana’s integrity and confidence, which is why they voted for him.On the other hand, SAD councillors said they will sit in the opposition.BOXHigh security in MC buildingThe Municipal Corporation building turned into a virtual fortress on Tuesday as elaborate security arrangements were put in place for the mayoral elections. Heavy police deployment was witnessed both inside and outside the MC complex to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident.Media personnel, political workers and supporters of various parties were kept away from the main proceedings, with entry to key areas of the building being strictly regulated. Only authorized officials, councillors and individuals directly connected with the election process were allowed access to the venue.The security arrangements were supervised by DSP Harsimran Singh Bal, who led a strong police contingent throughout the proceedings. Barricades were erected at strategic points around the corporation building, while police personnel remained stationed at entry and exit gates to monitor movement of people.Despite the celebratory atmosphere following the election results, the administration maintained tight security until the completion of the process.