Delhi MC has AAP vs BJP Brawl Over 1 Vote and punches follow
New Delhi: A massive fight broke out between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP councilors inside the house of Delhi’s civic body after the Mayor declared one vote invalid in the election to six members of a key municipal committee.
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Here’s your 10-point cheat sheet to this big story: After the Mayor’s action, the BJP interrupted the counting of votes. The Mayor, however, insisted the result would be declared without the invalid vote.
- Soon, the house fell into chaos – councilors from both sides punched, kicked, slapped and pushed one another amid shouting. Some councilors were seen with their kurtas torn. One of them also collapsed.
- “The vote is valid. If it is invalid, according to our calculation, the AAP’s candidate will win,” a BJP councilor, whose shirt button was torn open, told media. Another BJP leader said the Mayor disregarded counting rules as set by the Election Commission.
- Earlier, members of the ruling AAP and the BJP climbed on tables and shouted slogans against each other in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) house. BJP members said they will not allow a recount.
- “One side is ready for recounting, while the other side is not. That is why I’m not recounting. The result is being declared without the invalid vote,” said Shelly Oberoi, the AAP leader who was elected Mayor earlier this week after over a two-month delay.
- At least 242 of the 250 councilors in the AAP-run civic body voted to select six members to the MCD’s standing committee, a powerful body that decides how funds are to be used and on what projects.
- After she declared one vote invalid, Ms. Oberoi came under the firing line of angry BJP Councilors, who shouted “you are not in your senses” at her.
- Some BJP councilors shouted “Jai Shri Ram” and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their rivals from the AAP shot back, “Aam Aadmi Party zindabad, Arvind Kejriwal zindabad.”
- Seven candidates are contesting the standing committee election. The AAP nominated Aamil Malik, Raminder Kaur, Mohini Jeenwal and Sarika Chaudhary). The BJP fielded Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Pankaj Luthra. Independent councilor Gajender Singh Daral, who joined the BJP, is also a candidate.
- Today’s fight was a big escalation since January, the last time AAP and BJP Councilors threw punches at each other when voting was held to elect the Mayor. The Mayor election had to be postponed several times.
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