Delhi Mayor Election Updates: BJP Accuses AAP of Creating Ruckus at MCD House, Claims Women Councillors Struck With Sharp Objects

Delhi will not get its Mayor today. A major showdown between AAP and BJP workers in the civic centre has resulted in the adjournment of the house. The next date of Mayoral election will be decided and announced by the L-G VK Saxena later.

This comes after a huge ruckus took place in the assembly after elected members were not allowed to take oath first with AAP claiming that never in the “history of  MCD has nominated members taken oath first”. The oath taking ceremony comes a month after the 250-member MCD was won by the Aam Aadmi Party.

On December 4, AAP won 134 seats, ending BJP’s 15-year rule in the civic body that was reunified only last year. The BJP, has, however, won The 104 seats to finish second. Congress only bagged nine seats.

A Look At Some Of The Latest Updates

BJP Wants to Take Possession of MCD by Dishonesty: Saurabh Bharadwaj

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He also said that while AAP wants elections, the BJP wanted to resort to dishonesty.” In MCD, nominated councillors cannot vote. Mayor has to be elected first. And then the mayor would conduct other elections. The presiding authority can only get the mayor elected.”

“The BJP wanted to get their nominated members to vote. That is why there was hungama in the house,” he said.

He further said the senior most member becomes the pro tem speaker. Municipal Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti is not above the law, he said, adding, “I would like to remind him that LG Anil Baijal had returned the file once which had the name of a BJP affiliated person.”

On statements by the saffron party on initiating police complaint regarding the incident, he said, “We are not the Congress party, we will reply in the same manner that we are dealt with.”

“We are not scared. We are talking about justice. This is an India-Pakistan match. We have bowled 11 of them out and then they say that 11 more will play. If anyone of their councillors had crossed over, they (BJP) would not have had to resort to this. Our four councillors have been injured. They are being treated in LNJP and we will lodge FIR against BJP. If the police refuse to file FIR, we will go to the court,” he said.

BJP Doing Hooliganism. Nominated Councillors Were Sworn In First: AAP Councillor Praveen Kumar

Talking on the ruckus inside the civic centre, AAP councillor Praveen Kumar said: “BJP doing hooliganism. Swearing-in of the nominated councillors was being held first. A ruckus broke out when we objected to it & asked that the swearing-in of elected councillors should be held first. They (BJP) threw a moment.”

BJP Plans to Vote in Mayoral, Dy Mayoral Elections in Illegal Manner: AAP Leader Atishi

AAP leader Atishi said, “BJP plans to get the alderman (10) to vote in the Mayoral and Deputy mayoral elections in an illegal manner.” Addressing the media shortly after the row, she said, “It is well established and well-settled point in law, that elected councillors cannot cast their votes. In 2015, nominated councillors went to HC asking for voting rights but the HC r3fused to accept it. It was challenged in a double bench, but a double bench also said that nominated members cannot vote.”

She further said, “Article 243 (R) clearly states that nominated members cannot vote.” Citing the DMC Act, she said the law stated that nominated members do not have the right to vote in any meetings of the corporation.’

Explaining why AAP councillors protested at the meeting today, she said, “BJP was conspiring to get the nominated members to vote and gain a majority in Mayoral, Deputy Mayoral and standing committee.”

AAP Has Been Defeated Morally: BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on ruckus

Later, at a press conference, Tiwari said he was present at the premises when the incident took place. “These goons of AAP had come with proper planning,” he said adding that the accused party made the Mayoral election “a black day.” “Some of them were drunk and carrying sharp items with them,” he added.

He further said, “AAP is a party of goondas.” “Their MLAs were inciting violence. Delhi is shamed today due to this behaviour of AAP,” he said.

Unprecedented, Shameful: BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi on Ruckus

BJP MP and union minister Meenakshi Lekhi said “What happened today is unprecedented. It is shameful”. Hitting at the Aam Aadmi Party, she said the ruckus was done by “those who claim themselves anarchist.” She also said many BJP’s women members were injured.

In response to AAP’s charges of unfair practices by the LG, she said the LG has rights under section 3(3) 1 and has the power to send nominated members. She accused the AAP of conspiracy to create a ruckus as they “don’t have the right to challenge the chair’s decision which is constitutional.”

“We have acted in the preview of law and constitution. The Administrator has the power and right to take decisions at his/her discretion. LG is the administrator in this case,” she asserted.

BJP MP Parvesh Verma further said two of female councillors, Anita Deoli and Inder Kaur were surrounded by AAP’s male councillors. “Five of them jostled around councillor Inder Kaur. With a sharp object, they struck her and she suffered a cut. When Anita came to her rescue, she also suffered a cut,” he told ANI.

What’s the Need For Elections If You Can’t Respect People’s Mandate, Asks Manish Sisodia

After a huge ruckus between AAP and BJP workers in civic centre, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said “BJP will stoop low so low hide their misdeeds in MCD”.

In a tweet, he said: “Elections were postponed, illegal appointment of the presiding officer, illegal appointment of nominated councilors, and now the public’s elected councilors are not being administered oath…. If you cannot respect the verdict of the public, then why the elections?

Proceedings Disrupted After AAP Objects to Oath-taking Order

House proceedings were disrupted as AAP councilors and MLAs continued to raise slogans against BJP. The tussle started after presiding officer invited an alderman to take oath first to which AAP objected.

‘Let’s respect the Constitution’: Arvind Kejriwal Writes Fresh Letter to LG Amid Row

Huge Ruckus at Civic Centre Ahead of Voting for Delhi Mayor Elections

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Satya Sharma, Nominated by L-G, Will Act As Temporary Speaker & Administer Oath

Cong Leader Has a ‘Deal’ With BJP Ahead of MCD Mayor Poll: AAP

Ahead of the MCD Mayoral election, the Aam Aadmi party claimed that a deal has been finalised between Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress party. AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the Congress leader of the House in MCD Nazia Danish has made a deal with the BJP.

“The Congress leader of the House in MCD Ms Nazia Danish strikes the deal with BJP. And Congress decides to walk out to help BJP in MCD,” tweeted Bhardwaj.

In another tweet he claimed, “The deal of Congress and BJP has been exposed. The best case scenario for BJP was to make Congress walk out of house.

Preparations Underway For MCD Mayor Elections

BJP and AAP Councillors Assemble Ahead of Oath Taking 

‘BJP Hell Bent on Destroying Democratic Traditions’: AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj

AAP Appoints Mukesh Goel as Leader of House in MCD

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday appointed a councillor from Adarsh Nagar ward Mukesh Goel as the Leader of the House in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), said a party official told ANI.

Nominations For Mayor, Dy Mayor Posts

The nominees for the post of mayor are — Shelly Oberoi and Ashu Thakur (AAP), and Rekha Gupta (BJP). Oberoi is AAP’s main contender.

The nominees for the post of deputy mayor are  — Aaley Mohammad Iqbal and Jalaj Kumar (AAP), and Kamal Bagri (BJP).

Congress Not Taking Part in MCD Mayoral Election

Delhi Congress will not take part in the city civic body’s mayoral election slated to be held on January 6, its chief Anil Chaudhary said on Thursday.  Chaudhary said the Delhi unit of the Congress has unanimously decided not to support the Aam Aadmi Party or the BJP in the elections for the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and the leader of the house in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

MCD Mayor Poll: LG Appoints BJP Councillor as Presiding Officer, AAP Hits Back

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena on Thursday nominated BJP councillor Satya Sharma as the presiding officer for the first House meeting on Friday to elect the mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Reacting to the appointment, the Aam Aadmi Party accused the BJP of being hell-bent on destroying all democratic traditions and institutions.

The first municipal House after the high-stakes civic polls on December 4 is scheduled to take place on Friday during which all newly elected councillors will take oath and the mayor and the deputy mayor will be elected.

“The Lt. Governor of National Capital Territory of Delhi under section 77 of the Act is further pleased to nominate Satya Sharma, Councillor, Ward No.226 to preside over the meeting for the election of the Mayor.

“She will be administered oath/affirmation as per section 32 of the Act, by Santosh Kumar Rai, District Magistrate, New Delhi. The other councillors will be administered oath (affirmation by the Presiding Officer),” read a notification.

After Oath New Civic Body To Elect Mayor

After the oath ceremony, the newly constituted civic body will proceed to elect the Mayor, as required by section 35 of the Act.

Three Nominations Filed — Two From AAP, One From BJP

Three nominations — two from the AAP and one from the BJP — have been received for the post of mayor, MCD officials said.

One candidate of the AAP is a back-up candidate, party sources said. The nominees for the post of mayor are — Shelly Oberoi and Ashu Thakur (AAP), and Rekha Gupta (BJP). Oberoi is AAP’s main contender.

The nominees for the post of deputy mayor are  — Aaley Mohammad Iqbal and Jalaj Kumar (AAP), and Kamal Bagri (BJP).

“The mayor so elected will then assume the chair and proceed to conduct the election of the Deputy Mayor and six members of the Standing Committee as required under section 35(1) and 45(1)(i) of the Act respectively,” the notification added.

Mayor Post Sees Five Single-Year Terms

The post of mayor in Delhi sees five single-year terms on a rotation basis, with the first year being reserved for women, the second for the open category, third for the reserved category, and the remaining two also being in the open category.

Reacting to the notification, AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj tweeted, “It is the tradition that the senior most member of House is nominated as protem Speaker or presiding officer. But BJP is hell bent destroying all democratic traditions and Institutions.” The mayoral poll is slated to take place a month after the counting of votes took place on December 7.

Seats Won

The AAP had bagged 134 wards in the MCD polls and ended the BJP’s 15-year rule in the civic body. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 104 wards to finish second, while the Congress won nine seats in the 250-member municipal House which will convene on January 6 for the first time after the 2022 civic polls.

This was also the first municipal elections after the redrawing of the wards in the year gone by, the exercise being necessitated after the Centre brought a legislation in Parliament to unify the three local bodies.

The unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi came into effect from May 22, with Gyanesh Bharti and Ashwani Kumar taking charge as its municipal commissioner and special officer, respectively.