Ram Kumar Mittal
Guhla Chika, 26 December
Sukhwinder Kaur was crowned the president in the Guhla Panchayat Samiti elections held here today. Sukhwinder Kaur got the support of 20 members in the Guhla Panchayat Samiti, which had a total of 22 members. Other than Sukhwinder Kaur, no member filed nomination for Chairperson. Outgoing chairperson Dimple and one other member did not contest the election.
Today at around 12.15 pm former MLA Kulwant Bazigar along with 19 members of Guhla Panchayat Samiti reached the office of Panchayat Department and started the election process under the leadership of BDPO Neha Sharma. All 19 members unanimously announced to elect Sukhwinder Kaur as the chairperson, while Panchayat Samiti Vice Chairman Gyanchand Sharma also announced to support Sukhwinder Kaur. Thus, Sukhwinder Kaur was elected as the chairperson of Guhla Panchayat Samiti with the support of 20 members.
Kulwant Bazigar’s opposition cost Dimple dearly
After the Gram Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti elections held in the year 2022, there was a lot of conflict between the then JJP MLA Ishwar Singh and former BJP MLA Kulwant Bazigar over capturing the chairmanship of Guhla Panchayat Samiti. In the meeting called on 24 December 2022 for the appointment of the Chairperson, the quorum could not be reached, due to which the election had to be cancelled. In this fight, former MLA Kulamwat Bazigar defeated the then MLA Ishwar Singh. On 30 December 2022, Bhagat Singh Punia’s wife Dimple, a resident of Bhagal, the largest village in the constituency, was successful in making him the Chairperson, but in the previous assembly elections, Bhagat Singh had switched sides and joined the Congress. Ever since the BJP came to power in the state for the third time, there were speculations that even Bhagat Singh’s wife Dimple, who opposed former MLA Kulwant Bazigar in the elections, will not be able to stay on the chair for long. These speculations were confirmed when 18 members moved a no-confidence motion against Chairperson Dimple on 18 November 2024 and Dimple was removed from the post of Chairperson in the elections held on 28 November.
Former MLA Kulwant Bazigar played an important role
Former MLA Kulwant Bazigar has played the most important role from making Dimple the chairperson to removing her from the post and then making Sukhwinder Kaur’s wife Jagtar Singh the chairperson. After the appointment of Sukhwinder Kaur as the chairperson, Bazigar said that it is not right to keep people who are against the government in the post of chairperson. Such people become a hindrance in development, due to which the members were not happy with the chairmen of Guhla and Sivan Panchayat Samiti. Bazigar said that the members have removed these two chairpersons and elected the chairperson of their choice and now development work will be done in the rural area.