RSS-backed Chander Mohan set to be new mayor of Jmu

BJP senior leader Chander Mohan Gupta, who is also a hardcore Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker, is all set to be the new mayor of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) after the party high command cleared his name for the post on Saturday.

Newly-elected BJP corporators were told about the high command’s decision at a meeting attended by BJP state president Ravinder Raina, state general secretary (organisation) Ashok Koul, state general secretary Dr Narinder Singh and other senior leaders. 

   

The corporators were also told that the high command has named former state women wing president Poornima Sharma for the post of deputy mayor. The corporators were also directed to vote for Gupta and Sharma in the elections to be held on November 15. 

Meanwhile, the Congress, with 14 corporators in the 75 ward of JMC, has decided not field its candidate for the post of mayor because it doesn’t have the requisite numbers. Instead, it will be backing independent candidate Vijay Chowdhary. She is wife of former mayor Manmohan Chowdhary. 

However, the Congress, with the support of independent corporators, has decided to field its candidate for the post of deputy mayor. The Congress corporator from ward number 37, Charanjeet Kour, today filed her nomination for the post. 

“We don’t have the numbers for the post of Mayor. Some independent corporators approached us and we decided that we will not give a free run to the BJP and, therefore, it was decided to field a common independent candidate for the post of mayor who will be supported by Congress,” state Congress spokesperson Ravinder Sharma told Greater Kashmir.

In the 75-ward JMC, BJP has 43 members and Congress 14 members, while 18 independents emerged as the second largest group in the JMC. 

Chander Mohan Gupta has a long association with the RSS and worked in various capacities in the Sangh since his childhood. 

He remained Nagar Karyavah (general secretary) in the RSS. He served as “Mukhya Shikshak” (chief preacher) of Vivekenanda Shakha of the RSS and also served as convener of RSS shakhas in different areas of Jammu.

A two-time corporator of the BJP from ward number 33, Chander Mohan, has been state treasurer of the BJP for the past eight years. 

There were other also candidates in the fray for the post of mayor, such as Parmodh Kapahi, Baldev Singh Bilowria and a few others, but Gupta’s proximity and long association with the RSS earned him the favour. 

“I am committed to RSS ideology and have been attending RSS shakhas since the age four to five years which are counted as Balayakal in the Sangh,” he said. 

Gupta won the municipal election for the second consecutive time with a margin of 693 votes.

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