Leaders Climb Table Amid Noisy Scenes At Delhi Civic Body’s Key Election

The counting of votes for electing six members to a key body of the Delhi municipality was interrupted today after the BJP objected to one vote being made invalid.

Members of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (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.

At least 242 of the 250 councillors 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.

Shelly Oberoi, the AAP leader who was elected Mayor earlier this week after over a two-month delay, had declared one vote invalid. For this, she came under the firing line of angry BJP councillors, who shouted “you are not in your senses” at her.

Some BJP councillors 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 has fielded Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Pankaj Luthra.

Independent councillor Gajender Singh Daral, who joined the BJP, is also a candidate.