AAP, BJP keep up protests against each other, days after House chaos

The first meeting of the newly-constituted MCD descended into an ugly brawl on January 6 after AAP members protested the decision by presiding officer Satya Sharma -- a BJP councillor -- to administer the oath first to the 10 aldermen.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers protested outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in Delhi on Monday, accusing the party of trying to get 10 nominated members in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), called aldermen, to vote in the mayoral elections.

Aam Adami Party protest at the BJP Headquarter at DDU Marg against the Delhi LG and his role during MCD Mayor election, in New Delhi on Monday. (Vipin Kumar/ HT Photo)

In a counter-protest, BJP leaders demonstrated in front of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, accusing the AAP of violating the Constitution and alleging that the ruckus in the MCD House last week was orchestrated by the party. Some senior Delhi BJP leaders were detained during the protest.

Both parties claimed that the other was flouting rules, and demanded action be taken.

The first meeting of the newly-constituted MCD descended into an ugly brawl on January 6 after AAP members protested the decision by presiding officer Satya Sharma -- a BJP councillor -- to administer the oath first to the 10 aldermen. The AAP claimed this was done to allow the aldermen to “vote in the mayoral polls” and favour the BJP, while both the BJP and the LG have denied the allegation.

To be sure, according to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, aldermen do not have voting rights in the House.

During Monday’s protests, AAP workers raised slogans against lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and the BJP. They alleged that Saxena was flouting rules, and said that they will continue their protests till Saxena clarifies that nominated councillors will not vote in the mayoral election.

“The BJP has been trying to take over the MCD through illegal means. The residents of Delhi have given the mandate to the AAP. But the lieutenant governor illegally got the pro-tem presiding officer to be from the BJP. He also illegally got the aldermen to be workers of the BJP. He now also illegally wants the aldermen to vote in the election for the post of the mayor. This is something forbidden under law and we will not allow this to happen,” AAP legislator Saurabh Bhardwaj.

The LG’s office declined to comment.

Meanwhile, the BJP staged a protest outside Kejriwal’s residence, claiming that the ruckus in the MCD House was orchestrated by the AAP to prevent a split in the party.

Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdeva said, “Why is AAP afraid when it has 134 councillors (in the 250-member House)? Kejriwal knows that his party is divided because two more people from his party filed nomination for mayor and deputy mayor’s posts (the nominations were withdrawn later). To save that split and defeat, hooliganism was done in the House.”

BJP legislator and leader of the opposition in the state assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said, “It is very shameful of the AAP leaders to throw a chair at the presiding officer Satya Sharma, a senior corporator. The way AAP corporators behaved that day shows that Kejriwal and his leaders consider themselves above the Constitution.”

Delhi Police detained Sachdeva and some other BJP leaders for protesting outside the chief minister’s residence. They were later allowed to leave.