Delhi's Wait For Mayor To Continue, AAP-BJP Fight Stalls Elections Again

Security personnel deployed inside the MCD House ahead of the elections for Municipal Corporation of Delhis Mayor, Deputy Mayor and six members of the Standing Committee from the House.

(Photo: PTI)

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Tuesday, 14 January, failed to elect a Mayor for a second consecutive time amid fight between councillors belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

This comes two weeks after the two parties (quite literally) exchanged blows inside the House over Pro-tem Speaker Satya Sharma's decision to administer oath to 10 nominated members (aldermen) before the elected councillors.

The AAP had in December 2022 wrested control of the civic body from the BJP, ending the party's 15-year-rule. 

Why Was The House Adjourned? On Tuesday, presiding officer Satya Sharma of the BJP, appointed by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, administered the oath to 10 nominated councillors, known as the aldermen, first.

This despite opposition from the AAP which claims that these nominated members do not have the right to vote as per the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.

The AAP has nominated Shelly Oberoi for the post of Mayor while the BJP candidate is Rekha Gupta. The nominees for the post of deputy mayor are Aaley Mohammad Iqbal (AAP) and Kamal Bagri (BJP).

What Happened on 6 January? On 6 January, elections for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the MCD could not be held as per schedule as the first meeting of the House had to be adjourned after AAP and BJP councillors exchanged blows over the same issue.

The 10 nominees, all BJP members, are expected to play a crucial role in the Mayoral elections. AAP councillors claimed that the move was BJP’s ploy to get the aldermen to vote in the mayoral elections, even when the law does not permit nominated members to vote.

Why Are The Mayor Polls Important? The civic polls were held on 4 December saw the AAP emerge as the clear winner, scoring 134 wards and ending the BJP's 15-year rule.

The BJP won 104 wards to finish second, while the Congress won only nine seats. The Congress party skipped the Mayoral polls.

Despite losing the MCD elections, the BJP had in the past hinted that it will fight the AAP for the post of the Mayor, making this a battle of prestige between the two parties.