Hectic lobbying has begun in the state BJP for the prestigious post of Mayor for Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), as the name is yet to be finalized by the state unit for sending it to the party high command for final approval.
Party sources informed that although, few names like Chander Mohan Gupta, Parmodh Kapahi, Surinder Sharma and Baldev Singh Baloria are in race for Mayor’s post but 2 time corporator Chander Mohan Gupta is the front runner.
“During series of meetings, senior leaders discussed the probable candidates for Mayor’s post during which Chander Mohan Gupta is the favourite to take over,” sources said adding that the consensus was yet to be arrived at”.
Chander Mohan Gupta, who won from ward number 33 for the second consecutive time, is close to RSS and is thus the choice of the Sangh for the post of Mayor.
Sources said that the party had decided to give Mayor’s post to Parbhat Singh Jamwal if it got majority in the JMC but he lost the election.
BJP state president Ravinder Raina said: “It will take at least a week for finalizing the name of Mayor. After that it will be sent to the party high command for final approval”.
Former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta said that the Mayor’s name will be finalized by the party’s core group after which it will be forwarded to the high command for final nod.
“Very soon the core group will discuss and finalize the name for Mayor after which it will be forwarded to the high command for approval,” Kavinder said.
“The Mayor’s name will then be put before the newly elected corporators in a meeting for election,” he said.
BJP candidates emerged victorious in 43 wards in 75 wards of the JMC. Raina, during a recent press conference had said that at least 8 independents won election are BJP men and had contested as rebels.
“All these independents are also ready to come back to the party,” Raina had said.
Meanwhile, sources also said former women wing president of the BJP, Poornima Sharma, who won from ward number 1, is a front runner for the post of deputy Mayor.