BJP's Aarti Mehra re-elected Delhi Mayor

New Delhi, Apr 21 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party member Aarti Mehra was today re-elected as the Mayor of Delhi while Ms Divya Jaiswal was re-elected as Deputy Mayor.

Both Ms Aarti Mehra and Ms Divya Jaiswal defeated their rivals Razia Sultana and Tulsi Ram Sablania of the Congress in a direct contest, in a meeting of the MCD House today.

Ms Mehra secured 177 votes, out of a total of 261 votes cast, while Razia Sultana of the Congress got 82 votes.

In the election for the Deputy Mayor, a total of 235 votes were polled, of which, Ms Divya Jaiswal (BJP) got 165 votes while Mr Tulsi Ram Sablania of the Congress got 68.

It is a second consecutive term as Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Ms Aarti Mehra and Ms Divya Jaiswal. While Ms Mehra was elected as Mayor in April last year after the BJP came to power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, securing a majority in the 272 member House, Ms Divya Jaiswal was elected as Deputy mayor after the untimely death of Mr S S Bajwa.

Besides the MCD Councillors, others who cast their votes in the election were four Members of Parliament, three from the Congress and one from the BJP, and 13 MLAs of the Delhi Legislative Assembly - nine from the Congress and four from the BJP.

The BJP has 161 members in the House, while the Congress has 67, BSP 17, Independent 15, Indian National Lok Dal 2, Nationalist Congress Party 2, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha 2 and Lok Janshakti Party 3.

Others eligible to cast their votes, in their capacity as nominated members of the House, are seven Lok Sabha MPs from Delhi, three Rajya Sabha MPs and 14 MLAs of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

After winning the election for the Mayor's post, Ms Aarti Mehra said in the coming time, the MCD has to implement important and major projects.

''Last year when I assumed charge of the post of Mayor, I promised to make Delhi clean, healthier and literate. We have pledged to provide medical facilities and primary education to people belonging to weaker sections of society and JJ dwellers. We have succeeded in our mission, yet much remains to be done,'' she said.

She said the MCD has covered significant milestones last year including computerisation of all departments, sanctioning of building plans online, providing Computer education to children studying in municipal primary schools, launching of the Anaemia control programme and providing free textbooks and uniforms to students.

Further, keeping in view the 2010 CommonWealth Games, ultra-modern street lights are being provided on roads of 100 km at a cost of Rs 200 crores.

The Mayor said to increase greenary, 2 lakh saplings were planted in various parts of Delhi. For irrigation, 430 new tubewells were bored and 950 existing tubewells were repaired and made functional.

Twenty-five rotary crossings are being decorated by providing more greenary. Before CommonWealth Games, 2000 parks will be beautified.

Giving details of future projects, the Mayor said Mahila Haat would be set up next year. Ten toilet blocks will be constructed exclusively for women. The entry points of Delhi would be made attractive and beautiful.

The Mayor also informed that 24 parks have been identified which are near to main markets. The construction of multi-level car parking sites beneath these parks have been started.

The expenditure to be incurred on this scheme has been made available to Special ESCROW Account. Besides, 19 automatic multi-level car-parking sites are being constructed on BOT basis at strategic places. Existing parking sites are also being provided modern facilities.

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