New Delhi: Amid escalating tensions between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) the stage is set for high-stake mayoral polls in Delhi today. BJP councillor and former East Delhi mayor Satya Sharma has been again appointed as the presiding officer for elections.
Today’s elections are being held following a delay of about seven months due to repeated disruptions and standoff between AAP and BJP in the MCD House.
AAP’s Mahesh Khichi, the party’s Devnagar councillor is pitted against Kishan Lal of BJP who represent Shakurpur ward for the mayoral seat, while with AAP’s Ravinder Bhardwaj from Aman Vihar will be up against BJP’s Nita Bisht from Sadatpur for the post of deputy mayor.
How numbers stack up in MCD House?
Before the polling process begins, let’s have a look at how numbers stack up in the MCD house for AAP, BJP and the Congress party:
Apart from 250 MCD councillors, 14 MLAs, all Lok Sabha MPs and three Rajya Sabha MPs will take part in today’s elections.
AAP claims support of 127 councillors, 13 MLAs and 3 Rajya Sabha MPs, and support an Independent councillor, thus taking their total count to 144
BJP has 103 councillors, 8 defectors from AAP, 7 Lok Sabha MPs and one MLA; their total count stands at 120.
What is majority mark for mayor elections in MCD
249 (councillors) + 10 (MPs) 14 (nominated MLAs) = 273÷2+1 = 137
Congress to boycott Mayor and Deputy mayor polls
Congress has announced to boycott the mayor and deputy mayor elections today. Congress, intially had 8 councillors, is currently left with 7 after Shagufta Chaudhary joined AAP.
