Faced with the prospect of each trying to cohere Dawn Zimmer’s so-called reformer base and not being able to get out of each other’s way, Councilman Ravi Bhalla and Council President Jen Giattino found a table and squared off on either side of it this afternoon.

Bhalla’s already in  the contest, and Giattino is hovering at the edge of entering.

The council president was reportedly irritated at Zimmer for suddenly exiting the contest and for endorsing Bhalla. She had hoped to have had discussions with the mayor and would have been interested in obtaining Zimmer’s backing for her own mayoral bid.

Giattino and Bhalla both have baggage as they strive to shine for Zimmer’s base.

Bhalla is a public sector attorney.

Giattino is a Republican in a 4-1 Democratic town in an atmosphere complicated by President Donald J. Trump.

Neither fulfills to a T the progressive Breck Girl image of the departing bike-pedaling mayor.

So this afternoon they tried to pull together a working game plan, in civil fashion, on the heels of Hudson County Freeholder Anthony Romano and Ray Ferraioli, the political minder for announced candidate Councilman Mike Defusco, having heated words last night at the Liberty Steak House.