MCD House Adjourned For 2nd Time Without Electing Delhi Mayor, Manish Sisodia Urges BJP To Accept Defeat And Let Polls Happen

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House was adjourned on Tuesday for the second time without the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Delhi. 

Following the adjournment, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Deplhi Deputy Cheif Minister Manish Sisodia said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should accept defeat and let the election of mayor and deputy mayor take place. 

Though the House convened to elect mayor and deputy mayor, there was a heated discussion between AAP and BJP members which served as a premise for presiding officer —BJP Councillor Satya Sharma— to adjourn the House. This prompted a protest by AAP councillors and MLAs.

Footage from the MCD House shared by ANI shows members arguing and tossing paper balls. One person is seen climbing on chairs or desks. There is also agitated shouting.

This was the second time the House convened for the purpose of electing Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Delhi. Earlier on January 6, the election could not take place because of a ruckus between the AAP and BJP members. 

The MCD elections were held on December 4 and the counting of votes was on December 7. The AAP emerged as a winner in MCD polls with 134 of the total 250 seats. The BJP won 104 and the Congress won nine seats. 

BJP should accept defeat, let mayoral election happen: Sisodia

AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday asked the BJP to accept their defeat in the MCD polls and help ensure smooth conduct of mayoral elections.

Sisodia accused the BJP of "running away from the election of mayor".

He said, "Everyone saw the drama of the BJP. The public had got fed up with their rule in the MCD. They gave mountains of garbage to Delhi and ruined the entire capital. First, they avoided MCD elections and when the public has showed them the door, they are running away from the election of mayor...We demand that the MCD House be reconvened and mayoral election be held today only."

Who are Delhi Mayor, Deputy Mayor candidates?

Shelly Oberoi and Ashu Thakur are the AAP's contenders for the post of mayor. The BJP has nominated Rekha Gupta.

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

Besides the mayor and the deputy mayor, six members of the MCD's standing committee are also to be elected.

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

The voters for the election of the mayor are 250 councillors, seven Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha MPs from Delhi and 14 MLAs nominated by the Legislative Assembly. The Delhi Assembly Speaker has nominated one BJP MLA and 13 AAP MLAs to the MCD.

Heavy security presence at MCD House 

There was a heavy deployment of security personnel in and around the MCD House. 

Security personnel were also deployed inside the House in an unusual manner. Photos were shared by ANI.

Earlier before the House convened, PTI reported that a larger number of civil defence personnel, including women members, and marshals were deployed compared to the deployment during the first municipal House on January 6, as per a senior official.

"Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed outside the House as part of security measures," the official said. 

(With PTI inputs)