Stage set for Delhi mayoral polls as AAP and BJP picks file nominations

AAP and BJP councillors filed nominations for upcoming mayoral and deputy mayoral elections in Delhi. AAP faces first challenge since Kejriwal's arrest.

Councillors from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday filed their nominations for the upcoming elections to the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

AAP councillor Mahesh Khichi files his nominations for the post on Thursday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The polls, scheduled for April 26, will be the first electoral challenge for the AAP since chief minister Arvind Kejriwal — the party’s national convener — was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

The mayoral elections are an annual exercise, held in the first meeting of the civic body’s yearly cycle which starts in April. In this election cycle, the mayor’s post has been reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate.

For the AAP, Dev Nagar councillor Mahesh Kumar Khichi, 45, filed his nomination for the post of mayor, and Aman Vihar councillor Ravinder Bhardwaj, 35, will contest the deputy mayor polls. Meanwhile, the BJP has fielded Shakurpur councillor Kishan Lal, 47, for the mayoral polls, while Neeta Bisht, 41, the Sadatpur representative, will stand for the post of deputy mayor.

Read Here: AAP fields Mahesh Khichi as its candidate for Delhi's MCD mayoral polls

The AAP nominees filed their nominations at the municipal secretary’s office at the Civic Centre at 1pm, and were accompanied by senior party leaders Atishi, Durgesh Pathak and Saurabh Bharadwaj. Their entourage was followed by that of the BJP candidates at 2.15pm, which included leader of opposition in the house Raja Iqbal Singh.

Separately, two more AAP councillors filed their nominations for the elections for the post of deputy mayor. A spokesperson for the party, however, said that the additional nominations were filed as cover backup candidates.

MCD in an official statement said that six councillors filed their nominations for the elections.

AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai said Khichi, a first-time councillor, has been linked with the party and the India Against Corruption movement. Bhardwaj, meanwhile, was previously a member of the standing committee, the works committee and the appointment committee.

Rai said both candidates have been working hard at the grassroot level and they will carry forward the good work initiated by the incumbents.

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Rai also said that the AAP will have the support of the Congress for the elections.

Reacting to the announcement, the BJP noted that no Congress councillor has filed their nomination.

“If the Congress and AAP are in alliance for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, then their alliance should also have extended to the mayoral polls — AAP should have contested for the mayor’s post, and the Congress for deputy mayor,” BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said.

Meanwhile, Lal is a businessman, while Bisht is a homemaker. BJP’s Singh said the party has nominated workers who are active at the grassroot level.

“Over the last two years, the AAP has failed to deliver on its promises... Within one month of the elections, we will form the standing committee, which takes up all critical projects,” he said.

Electoral college

The electoral college for electing a mayor comprises of Delhi’s 250 councillors, 10 parliamentarians (seven Lok Sabha, three Rajya Sabha), 14 legislators nominated by the state assembly speaker, and 10 aldermen who do not do not have voting powers in the house proceedings.

Read Here | Chandigarh mayor polls: What Supreme Court said in its verdict?

For the elections, the AAP has the support of 134 councillors from its party, along with another independent councillor. In addition, the party also has the support of three Rajya Sabha MPs (all AAP) and 13 legislators.

The BJP, on the other hand, claims the support of 104 councillors, along with another independent councillor, as well as seven Lok Sabha members and one MLA.

Meanwhile, the Congress has nine councillors, along with the support of another independent councillor.

To be sure, cross voting is permitted in these elections as anti-defection laws do not apply.