Rebel Councilors In MP's Shivpuri Resign Amid Dramatic Show Of Defiance

Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh): Shivpuri witnessed a political spectacle on Thursday as 18 rebel councillors of the Nagar Palika, who had been locked in a two-month-long tussle against the municipal president, finally submitted their resignations at the Collectorate.

The group, which included 11 BJP councillors, four from Congress and three independents, marched through the city with band music and flower garlands before reaching the Collectorate.

Along the way, they bowed before the main gate of the Nagar Palika office, saluted, and bid farewell to its employees—an act they described as their “last namaskar.”

The move came after weeks of political upheaval and social media drama. The councillors had earlier sworn allegiance to Bagicha Sarkar, promising not to backtrack on their commitment.

However, their credibility took a hit when they previously withdrew a no-confidence motion against the Nagar Palika President, drawing criticism from the public and being labelled “useless” and “incompetent” on social platforms.

On Wednesday evening, a few councillors began posting resignation letters on social media, which quickly went viral. This triggered a wave of similar posts from others, culminating in Thursday’s mass resignation.

The scene turned slightly comical at the Collectorate when the councillors insisted on submitting their resignations only to the Collector. As he was away in a tehsil, officials requested they hand them over to the ADM instead. The councillors initially refused, declaring they would rather give them to a peon than to the Additional Collector. After much persuasion, they relented and submitted their letters to the ADM.

Now, curiosity grips Shivpuri over whether the resignations will actually be accepted. Political observers note that since most councillors belong to BJP and Congress, party leadership may block their resignations. For independents, however, the decision rests solely with the Collector, who may or may not approve them.