Rana Inder Partap's faction retains control of Sultanpur Lodhi Municipal Council; Sandeep Kaur Cheema elected President
Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal
Sultanpur Lodhi (Punjab, July 6, 2026: The Rana faction consolidated its hold over the Sultanpur Lodhi Municipal Council on Monday, with Sandeep Kaur Cheema being elected President and Gurjit Kaur elected Vice-President during a meeting held under tight security arrangements.
The meeting, conducted at the Municipal Council office under the supervision of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), began with the oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected councillors. This was followed by the election of the council's President and Vice-President, in which Cheema and Gurjit Kaur secured the top posts.
Local MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh was present during the proceedings. Following the completion of the election process, supporters of the Rana faction celebrated the victory.
The results reflect the numerical strength the Rana camp secured in the recently concluded municipal elections. Of the 13 council seats, candidates backed by the Rana faction won seven seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured five. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won one seat, whereas the Congress failed to open its account.
Notably, the election for the President and Vice-President was originally scheduled for July 2 but had been postponed. The process was successfully completed during Monday's meeting.
Speaking after the election, MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh thanked the residents, voters, supporters, and party workers for their support. He said the outcome reflected the public's faith in "truth and development-oriented politics."
The MLA also accused the state government of attempting to influence the election process. He alleged that efforts were made to exert pressure on the winning candidates from his camp and that attempts were made to implicate them in false cases. However, he claimed those efforts had failed.
"Truth has ultimately prevailed in the holy city. Sultanpur Lodhi has always stood for justice and peace. Politics based on fear and intimidation can never win the people's acceptance here," Rana said.
Newly elected Municipal Council President Sandeep Kaur Cheema expressed gratitude to the voters, supporters, party leadership, and residents for reposing faith in her. She pledged to discharge her responsibilities with honesty and dedication and said her priority would be the all-round development of the holy city while addressing the aspirations of every section of society.
Vice-President Gurjit Kaur also thanked the electorate, supporters, and party leaders for their confidence in her. She said the entire Municipal Council team would work collectively to accelerate development in Sultanpur Lodhi and ensure that public welfare projects are implemented on a priority basis.
With the election of the new President and Vice-President, the Rana faction has once again demonstrated its political dominance in the Sultanpur Lodhi Municipal Council. Attention will now shift to the new leadership's ability to deliver on its development agenda for the historic town.