Delhi mayor polls: Shocking clash between AAP and BJP councillors; no election today

Clashes erupted between the councilors of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday at a meeting to elect the mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The scuffle over the order of oath-taking soon blew up, with councillors of each party accusing the other ones of physical confrontations. Visuals of the meeting showed the councillors clambering over each other to climb on top of desk and dais.

The AAP has accused its rivals of ‘hooliganism’. Not to be outdone, the BJP has claimed ‘ruckus (was) started by AAP leaders’. The chaos broke out within minutes and marshals had to control matters.

Meanwhile, the nominees for the deputy mayor’s post are Aaley Mohammad Iqbal and Jalaj Kumar from AAP, and Kamal Bagri from BJP.

The fracas began after presiding officer Satya Sharma – appointed by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena over the AAP’s recommendation of Mukesh Goyal – invited nominated councillors or aldermen (those who traditionally cannot vote) to take oath ahead of elected members (those who can vote), according to Hindustan Times.

After Saxena appointed Sharma as the Presiding Officer, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj 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 (sic).”

“BJP is doing hooliganism. Swearing-in of nominated councillors was held first. Ruckus broke out when we objected, asked that swearing-in of elected councillors be first,” the AAP’s Praveen Kumar told news agency ANI.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said it was ‘unconstitutional’ to let nominated councillors vote in the mayoral polls.

There are three nominees for the mayor’s post. The AAP has nominated Shelly Oberoi and Ashu Thakur (backup candidate) to run against the BJP’s Rekha Gupta. Oberoi is the AAP’s main contender for the mayor’s post.

Meanwhile, Congress has decided not to not take part in MCD mayor polls. On Thursday, Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhary confirmed that the party wouldn’t participate in the civic body’s mayoral polls. Chaudhary also revealed that the grand old party’s Delhi unit unanimously chose not to support the BJP or the AAP in the polls for the mayor and deputy mayor’s posts of the municipal corporation of Delhi.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM