JAIPUR: A day after taking over office, newly elected mayor Vishnu Lahta on Thursday met chief minister Ashok Gehlot and cabinet minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, strengthening the speculations that he might join the Congress soon.A BJP rebel, Lahta had filed his nomination against the party’s candidate Manoj Bhardwaj for the post of mayor, elections for which were held on Tuesday. Lahta, supported by 18 Congress councillors and others, went on to win by one vote. It was believed that Lahta had been in constant touch with Khachariyawas during that time. He was suspended by the party after the results were declared. On Thursday, the mayor first met Khachariyawas and later Gehlot.Lahta however refuted the claims of him joining any other party and said that no one from the BJP has approached him with the information of him being suspended. “This was a courtesy meeting with the CM of the state, as for the development of Jaipur city, we need co-operation of the state government. On Friday, a meeting with all the JMC councillors will be conducted to discuss the further planning for the Swachhta Survekshan. All the councillors, irrespective of party lines, have to be kept in the forefront for better results,” said Lahta.On Thursday afternoon , Lahta held meetings with the JMC officials to review the Swachhta Survekshan 2019 preparation. In the meeting, he said that the swachhta drive is the priority of JMC and they will have to get a better ranking this year. While giving directions to the officials, Lahta said, “Swachhta Survekshan is an exam for us, in which we have to emerge on top. Cleanliness should be properly maintained in the city and action should be taken against the people spoiling the city. There should be focus on the parks to have facilities for children.”The nodal officer of Swachhta Survekshan 2019, Vinod Purohit in the meeting said, “A competition will be organised among schools, marriage gardens, hotels, residential colonies, hospitals and restaurants in the city, which generate maximum garbage, and winners will be rewarded on January 31, 2019 at JMC. Secrecy will be maintained in the competition and site visits will be organised to monitor the performance. The competition will be organised to generate a sense of liability among the citizens.”Members of the traders’ association were also present in the meeting and extended their full support in helping the JMC. Traders even promised to ban plastic polythene bags in the city and to take action on their part against the shopkeepers defying the law.

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