Jalandhar: Lobbying for the post of the mayor of the Jalandhar municipal corporation has begun in the Congress circles. While several prominent candidates of the BJP and the SAD lost this time, all key nominees of the Congress won the election which has made the next round of the intra-party competition for the coveted post a multi-cornered contest.
Jagdish Raj Raja, who happens to be the only councillor who has won for the fifth time after winning for the first time in 1991 when Jalandhar got a Municipal Corporation, is considered to be front runner.
Raja, the leader of the opposition in the last MC term, and his wife Anita Raja, is a third time councilor. She also remained senior deputy mayor in 2002-07.
Two MLAs—Rajinder Beri from Jalandhar (Central) and Bawa Henry from Jalandhar (North)—are also supporting Raja. "Yes, we are batting for him as he deserves for being the senior most among all the councillors and also played his role as the leader of opposition quite well," said Beri, whose wife Uma Beri has also become councillor for the second time now.
Meanwhile, sources said Jalandhar (West) MLA Sushil Rinku would lobby for his wife Sunita Rinku. MLA Rinku is protege of irrigation and power minister Rana Gurjit Singh.
Balraj Thakur, who has won for the fourth time, is also considered to be one of the contenders due to his seniority.
"In case the post the party prefers a scheduled caste woman, Surinder Kaur who has also won for fourth time in a row from a ward of Jalandhar (West) constituency would also be a strong contender," said a party leader.
Sources said Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh is open to support both Raja and Thakur. When asked he quipped, "We shall go by merit and what suits the city."
Meanwhile some councillors or the husbands of women councillors have also started lobbying for posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.
