Delhi Mayor elections stalled as AAP-BJP councillors clash at Civic Centre

AAP and BJP councillors clashed over the appointment of 10 aldermen by Lt Governor VK Saxena.

New Delhi, Jan 06: The Delhi Municipal Corporation virtually became a battleground for AAP and BJP councillors before the commencement of voting for the MCD's Mayoral elections on Friday and eventually stalling the polls.

The AAP and BJP councillors clashed over the appointment of 10 aldermen by Lt Governor VK Saxena as the first meeting of the newly elected Municipal Corporation of Delhi House. The meeting began with BJP councillor Satya Sharma being administered the oath as presiding officer for the elections to the posts of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayor and deputy mayor, PTI reported.

After Sharma invited alderman Manoj Kumar to take his oath, AAP MLAs and councillors began to protest. Many also rushed to the well of the House, shouting slogans. The BJP councillors retaliated by raising slogans against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal as AAP members returned fire by sloganeering against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The video clips shared by ANI show the politicians from both sides raising slogans against each other as Municipal Corporation is set to get a new mayor, deputy mayor, and speaker of the house.

While Aam Aadmi Party fielded Shally Oberoi, BJP has fielded Rekha Gupta for the post of mayor. However, Congress choose to walk out during the voting. "The walkout of congress during the voting is directly benefiting the BJP, especially in the Standing Committee elections," ANI quotes Aam Aadmi Party leader and spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj as saying.

#WATCH | Delhi: Ruckus at Civic Center as BJP, AAP councillors clash with each other amid ensuing sloganeering ahead of Delhi Mayor polls. pic.twitter.com/v1HXUxawSC

— ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2023

Bhadrwaj further cited the example of Nazia Danish from Zakir Nagar and said, "The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena appointed Nazia Danish as a member of the Haj Committee without the consent of the Delhi government."

Saurabh accused that the BJP is allotting posts to the Muslim councillors won by the Congress through the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, so that they help the BJP in the election of the Congress Standing Committee.

#WATCH | Delhi: BJP and AAP councillors clash with each other and raise slogans against each other ahead of Delhi Mayor polls at Civic Centre. pic.twitter.com/ETtvXq1vwM

— ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2023

"The walkout of congress during the voting is directly benefiting the BJP, especially in the Standing Committee elections," he added.

Even though the AAP has claimed that it will be victorious in the Standing Committee including Mayor, and Deputy Mayor, it fears that the BJP may break into the Standing Committee with 274 votes, and 250 elected councillors will vote.

Also, seven Lok Sabha MPs of Delhi and 3 Rajya Sabha MPs with 14 MLAs will be taking part in the voting. Along with the post of mayor and deputy mayor, the standing committee members will also be elected. Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Amil Malik, Raminder Kaur, Mohini Jeenwal and Sarika Chowdhary while BJP has Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Gajendra Daral and Pankaj Luthra as its candidates for the Standing Committee.

In the MCD elections held in December, the AAP ended BJP's 15-year rule by winning 134 seats, while the saffron party emerged victorious in 104 wards.

With inputs from agencies.