Last Updated: February 24, 2023, 22:09 IST
Councillors of AAP and BJP clash during the election of members of the MCD Standing Committee, at the Civic Centre in New Delhi, Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)
The clash broke out after the Mayor announced one vote for the Standing Committee election invalid and BJP councillors protested against it
Delhi’s MCD House witnessed yet another slugfest between members of the AAP and the BJP, who rained punches, slaps and kicks on each other on Friday. Delhi’s Mayor Shelly Oberoi was also allegedly attacked.
The clash broke out after the Mayor announced one vote for the Standing Committee election invalid and BJP councillors protested against it. The voting for the six-member standing committee was held early on Friday, followed by the counting.
Both parties blamed each other for the clash. AAP MLA Atishi alleged that BJP members got agitated and attacked the Delhi mayor when they sensed their party would lose the election. Meanwhile, BJP councillor Pankaj Luthra alleged that it was AAP’s fault that led to the chaos. He is one of the candidates for the standing committee election.
Delhi BJP reportedly said that they would lodge an official complaint with the Delhi police against AAP MLA and leader Atishi for instigating violence inside the Civic Centre.
At the same time, AAP leader Atishi said that they would an file an FIR against BJP for attempt of murder on AAP’s women councillor.
What Caused the Protests?
While Oberoi announced that results would be declared without the invalid vote, the BJP accused her of tampering and interrupted the counting of votes. “Six members were supposed to be elected to Standing Committee. 3 members each from AAP & BJP were elected. One AAP member lost. All this was done to make him win and results tampered with,” BJP’s Vijender Gupta later told reporters.
Following the ruckus, the House was adjourned and the Mayor announced that the elections would be held on February 27 at 11 am.
Why Was the One Vote Important?
The vote was reportedly crucial for the BJP and would decide the fate of its candidate. The party accused the Mayor of acting on the ‘instructions’ of Kejriwal and tampering with the results. Party leaders alleged that three candidates of AAP and BJP had won, and election officers had said that the vote declared invalid was valid.
“Election officers declare the election and say that votes declared invalid by the Mayor are valid and three candidates each of AAP and BJP have won. But the AAP does hooliganism here as instructed by Kejriwal. We won’t tolerate this goondaism and approach the Court,” said BJP’s Harish Khurana, as per ANI.
Standing Committee Elections Again?
Fresh elections were held on Friday after high drama that triggered as many as 15 adjournments since Wednesday evening through the night till early Thursday morning, with both AAP and BJP councilors indulging in brawls, slogan shouting, hurling plastic bottles and staying put in Civic Centre – the MCD headquarters.
After the House was adjourned on Friday, the Mayor announced re-elections yet again on Monday, February 27. However, the BJP said it would approach the court against the re-election order, as per sources.
Seven candidates are in the fray for the standing committee’s six members. The AAP has nominated Aamil Malik (Sri Ram Colony ward), Raminder Kaur (Fateh Nagar ward), Mohini Jeenwal (Sundar Nagari ward) and Sarika Chaudhary (Daryaganj ward), while Kamaljeet Sehrawat (Dwarka-B ward) and Pankaj Luthra (Jhilmil ward) are contesting for the BJP. Independent councillor Gajender Singh Daral, who later joined the BJP, is also a candidate.
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