BJP protests outside Delhi mayor’s office demanding mayoral polls

The BJP said it will continue its protest until the AAP holds the election for the reserved post of Dalit mayor

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday held a demonstration outside the mayor’s office at Civic Centre to protest against the delay in holding the mayoral election. BJP councillors raised slogans against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and mayor Shelly Oberoi, accusing them of being “anti-Dalit,” and demanded the immediate election of a Dalit mayor and the formation of a standing committee without any delay.

Leader of opposition in MCD Raja Iqbal Singh and BJP members protest against Delhi mayor on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

Oberoi’s tenure was expected to end in April and elections were scheduled in May. The post of mayor is reserved for a candidate from the Scheduled Caste category this year but the elections were earlier delayed as former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was imprisoned in Tihar Jail.

“AAP leader Kejriwal used to claim that he would run the government from jail, yet he did not sign the file to appoint a presiding officer for the mayoral election in April 2024. When he was released from jail and, seeing the public’s distress and the anti-incumbency wave, he had to resign, he began giving instructions for the mayoral election as a pretence,” said leader of opposition and former mayor Raja Iqbal Singh. He added that the BJP will continue its protest until the AAP holds the election for the reserved post of Dalit mayor.

“If the AAP had genuine intentions, they would have held the mayor’s election. However, the AAP’s intention is to deny Dalits their rightful place. The election should have been held for an SC councillor to become mayor, but AAP keeps finding excuses to delay it,” he added.

The mayor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.