Congress wins posts of Mayor, Dy Mayor in SMC

Shimla, June 5 (UNI) The Congress today won the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC), by defeating the BJP candidates by a margin of seven votes each.

While Congress' Narinder Kataria defeated Pradeep Kashyap of the BJP, Harish Janartha (Congress) defeated Manju Sood of the BJP by seven votes.

The Congress, which has 15 members in the 25-member SMC, polled 15 votes each for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, while the BJP with eight members polled an equal number of votes with two members of the CPM abstaining from the proceedings of the House.

Elections to the posts of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor was deferred yesterday as the BJP members boycotted the proceedings, alleging that the Congress was denying the post of Mayor to the women.

The Congress has maintained its stranglehold over the Corporation for the last 21 years since 1986 with all the mayors and Deputy Mayors being from their party.

Listing out their priorities, newly elected Mayor Narinder Kataria and Deputy Mayor Harish Janartha, said providing better civic amenities to the people of the town would be their main focus.

Besides, working for the overall development of Shimla Town, they said efforts would be made for the completion of various projects under Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in a time bound manner.

UNI