Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Feb 23: After the Aam Aadmi Party managed to get its candidates elected the mayor and deputy mayor of the prestigious Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) under orders from the Supreme Court, the session of the House on Thursday to hold elections for the members of the all-powerful standing committee was adjourned till Friday following night-long commotion on Wednesday.
The election for a council that governs Delhi’s powerful municipal body was called off for the day after a 24-hour street fight in its assembly that involved the BJP’s mayoral candidate Rekha Gupta ripping off microphones during a clash with AAP members.
Chaos erupted not long after councillors gathered in the assembly on Wednesday to elect Delhi’s new mayor, a deputy mayor and a standing committee. Following the election of the mayor, which saw the AAP’s Shelly Oberoi defeat the BJP’s Rekha Gupta, members of the latter’s party protested the way the polls were being conducted.
They alleged the AAP was taking “unlawful” steps like asking members to click photos of their votes and sending them in groups of eight to prevent cross-voting. The AAP accused the BJP of trying to “hijack” the civic body despite losing the municipal elections and, when thwarted, resolving to violence.
Ms Oberoi accused BJP members of trying to “attack” her in the assembly as the proceedings devolved into absolute pandemonium. “This is extremely shameful. We are not afraid of cross-voting at all, people from Delhi have given us the mandate and shown faith in us. They (BJP) have lost elections, they’ll be afraid,” she said.
Physical scuffles and jostling took over the assembly as AAP members dug in and camped overnight, insisting that the standing committee elections be held. The party posted a video of Rekha Gupta ripping off and breaking microphones as BJP tried to disrupt the elections as the apex court’s order disallowing the nominated members from participating in voting had put the party in disadvantage. Members were also seen throwing bottles and dousing each other with water.
The polls for the municipal office bearers of the MCD were being held after the Supreme Court blocked an attempt by the BJP to raise its election tally by having nominated members vote. The elections had been called off four times since the AAP defeated the BJP in the MCD elections in December, ending its 15-year rule.
A day after running the House beyond midnight, the MCD assembled on February 23 only to be adjourned for the day, within an hour of assembling after BJP and AAP members had differences over carrying mobiles during voting
While the BJP is protesting against Oberoi’s decision to allow members to carry mobile phones to the booth area during the election of the MCD panel, the AAP accused the saffron party of resorting to “hooliganism” because of its defeat in the mayoral polls. On February 23, the House met at 8.30 a.m. but was adjourned for an hour amid sloganeering. As the House reconvened at 9.30 a.m., the ruckus continued and the Mayor adjourned the proceedings.
Addressing a press conference at the civic centre later, Ms. Oberoi alleged that some BJP Councillors threw the ballot box and tore ballot papers during the election for the standing committee. “It’s shameful what the BJP councillors did. The ballot box was thrown, ballot papers were torn and I was attacked,” she said, adding that the BJP Councillors gheraoed the well of the House and the proceedings had to be adjourned 13 times.
“The BJP resorted to unconstitutional behaviour in the house once again. It is the loss of the people of Delhi. BJP’s Rekha Gupta and Amit Nagpal resorted to hooliganism in the House and we will take action against them,” she said. She further said there is no such act that says mobile phones are banned while casting votes.
Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh alleged that the BJP is “not being able to accept their defeat” in the MCD mayoral polls. “When the BJP resorted to hooliganism, 47 votes were already cast for the standing committee. Election can never be conducted in this manner. What if the BJP resorts to hooliganism again after 100 votes and asks to consider them invalid?” Senior AAP leader Atishi said.
BJP Councillor have demanded that the 40 votes cast till Feb. 23 morning for the standing committee members should be declared null and void as the Councillor carried mobiles phone with them. However, the Mayor said there is no rule against the Councillor carrying their mobile phones. As both the sides are refusing to budge, there appears to be no end to the impasse.