Fracas in JMC, mayor exits through window

JAIPUR: Pandemonium prevailed in the first general body meeting of the newly constituted Jaipur Municipal Corporation on Wednesday and mayor Jyoti Khandelwal had to escape through the window of her chamber to save herself from the wrath of fellow councillors. The council meeting was adjourned after the incident.
In fact, from manhandling of a woman BJP councillor to Congress MP Mahesh Joshis alleged abusive language against a few corporators , the entire proceedings were packed with action.
In the meeting, transport minister Brijkishore Sharma and MLA Pratap Singh Khachariyawas were present by virtue of being local MLAs. The two were also caught in the chaos in which no-holds-barred barbs were exchanged between the representatives of the leading parties.
The BJP members were on their wits end when the mayor tried to pass the days agenda, while just half of the BJP councillors were present . No sooner did she utter the word pass , BJP councillors rushed to the well of the house. Nearly 25 Congress members were present in the house then.
Soon, it was the turn of deputy mayor Manish Pareek to take to the floor objecting to singing of national anthem in the midst of chaos. This was the first time in the history that the national anthem was used to pass the agenda of Congress inside the house, he said later.
After the singing of the anthem, when the mayor adjourned the house and returned to her chamber, all the 47 BJP councillors and their Congress counterparts followed her, shouting slogans.
The BJP members barged inside the mayors chamber only to be followed by her partymen. The mayor was confined for half an hour by the BJP members who sought an explanation for her highhanded manner in running the house.
They also took objection to MP Mahesh Joshi and transport minister Brijkishore Sharma issuing instructions in the house. Soon the protest turned into a brawl between the BJP and Congress members with both sides hurling abuses at the other.
Later, mayor Jyoti Khandelwals security personnel asked her to exit the chamber through the window. She soon left the building in her car.
However, complaints from councillors continued to follow. BJP councillor Mithilesh Upadhyaya alleged that Congress councillors misbehaved with her. Mahesh Joshi abused and manhandled me. Even my gold nosering has been snatched by someone, she said.