Jammu and Kashmir: BJP gets control of all civic bodies in Kathua

Bharatiya Janata Party members were elected to the top positions in all the six municipal bodies in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Saturday, officials said.

Former Congress leader Naresh Sharma, who recently joined the BJP along with three party councillors, was elected president of the Kathua Municipal Council, while Rekha Kumari was elected vice-president, the officials said.

Sharma won on a Congress ticket before switching to the saffron party, which had won eight wards in the elections that was held last month in four phases.

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Three Independent councillors supported the candidature of Sharma, who got 15 out of a total 21 votes. Kumari, also from the BJP, got 13 votes to become the vice-president of the council, the officials said.

In the Lakhanpur Municipal Committee, Surmu Din, who won unopposed before joining the BJP, was elected chairman after getting seven votes, while Rakesh Sharma was elected vice-chairman with four votes, the officials said.

In the Basohli Municipal Committee, Sumesh Sapolia and Abhinav Razdan were declared the chairman and vice-chairman respectively after getting seven votes each. The party has only five councillors and got support of two Independent candidates.

In Billawar Municipal Committee, Uma Kant Basotra was elected chairman and Mohinder Kumar was declared the vice-chairman after winning with seven out of 13 votes each. The BJP has only six councillors and got support of one Independent.

Vijay Kumar was elected chairman in the 13-member Hiranagar Municipal Committee, while Rajinder Singh was elected vice chairman, the officials said.

In Nagri-Parole Municipal Committee, Shashi Kanta was elected the chairman, while Congress candidate Tarsem Paul was elected vice-chairman by getting support from seven councillors, the officials said.