Chandigarh: The General House meeting of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Monday turned chaotic as BJP councillors accused the Congress-led administration of excluding them from inauguration ceremonies of projects funded under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme.
The meeting, held at the MC headquarters, witnessed high drama and heated exchanges between BJP and Congress councillors. What began as a discussion over protocol soon spiraled into a tense confrontation, ending in a scuffle over a nameplate.
BJP Alleges Political Bias in Inaugurations
BJP councillor Gurbax Rawat led the protest, claiming she was not invited to the inauguration of MPLAD-funded projects in her ward. She presented photographs showing plaques from recent events where her name as the area councillor was missing.
“I was deliberately kept out of these functions. My name was removed from the plaques of projects developed in my own ward,” Rawat alleged during the session. Several other BJP councillors supported her claims, accusing the administration of “political discrimination” and “protocol violations.”
Congress councillor Sachin Galav, however, denied the allegations and countered that the BJP had done the same in the past. “When former MP Kirron Kher inaugurated projects, even I was never invited to functions held in my ward,” Galav said, drawing parallels to past incidents.
Nameplate Incident Sparks Chaos in House
Tensions peaked when BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi removed the nameplate of Congress MP Manish Tewari from his designated seat in the House. Joshi claimed the seat and the nameplate were unnecessary since the MP rarely attended the meetings.
This act infuriated Congress councillors. Galav rushed to retrieve the nameplate, but BJP members intervened, resulting in a heated scuffle that brought proceedings to a standstill for nearly ten minutes.
The atmosphere remained charged as both sides exchanged sharp remarks while the Mayor struggled to restore order. The incident underscored the growing political friction within the Chandigarh MC House ahead of upcoming civic decisions.
Galav Cites MPLAD Guidelines
Amid the uproar, Galav read aloud sections of the MPLAD fund guidelines, emphasizing that it was mandatory to install plaques bearing the MP’s name at the site of completed projects. “It’s a matter of protocol and transparency. The MP’s contribution must be acknowledged as per the rules,” he said.
However, the explanation failed to pacify the opposing councillors, who insisted that credit should be shared with area representatives as well.
AAP Raises Panjab University Restructuring Issue
Away from the MPLAD debate, AAP councillor Jasbir Singh Ladi brought up the issue of the proposed restructuring of the Senate and Syndicate of Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh. He expressed concern over potential political interference and sought a discussion in the House.
Councillors Damanpreet Singh and others supported Ladi’s demand, urging the MC to take a collective stand on the matter. However, Mayor Kuldeep Kumar denied permission, stating that the topic was “unrelated to the Municipal Corporation’s jurisdiction.”
A Heated Session Ends Without Resolution
The meeting concluded without any clear resolution on either the MPLAD fund controversy or the PU restructuring issue. Both BJP and Congress councillors left the House visibly agitated, blaming each other for the disruption.
The episode once again highlighted the deep political divisions within the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, where cross-party disputes often overshadow civic discussions.