The Congress leadership failed to keep its flock together for the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor in Solan Municipal Corporation (MC) losing the post of Deputy Mayor to a BJP supported candidate, despite having a majority in the house.
Due to deep chasm between different MC councilors aspiring to grab the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, four Congress supported councilors reportedly cross voted for Meera Anand, a BJP supported candidate to elect her new Deputy Mayor.
The Congress supported candidate Usha Sharma was elected new Mayor defeating Sardar Singh Chauhan by polling 11 votes against 6 votes polled by the latter.
The BJP supported candidate Meera Anand polled 12 votes and elected Deputy Mayor defeating Sangeeta Thakur who polled five votes.
The Congress supported candidates have a majority with nine councilors in the house of 17, while strength of BJP supported councilors is eight with one Independent councilors.
The state government has recently given a voting right to local MLA and with Cabinet Minister Dr Dhani Ram Shandil representing Solan constituency, the number of Congress supported councilors had risen to 10.
The Congress supported councilors had gained a majority in the election held after elevation of Solan Municipal Committee to Municipal Corporation in April 2021 and Congress supported Poonam Grover was elected Mayor and Rajiv Kaura Deputy Mayor.
But in the reelection of Mayor and Deputy Mayor after two and half years, the Congress supported Councilors could not keep its group intact due to personal ambition of councilors and difference of opinion among the leadership.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Ajay Yadav administered the oath of office to Usha Sharma as Mayor and Meera Anand as Deputy Mayor of Solan Municipal Corporation.