Clash at MCD House: AAP, BJP councillors throw boxes, exchange blows

NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) house was adjourned for the fifth time after resuming on early Thursday morning, as AAP and BJP councillors continued to clash with each other amid heavy chaos and sloganeering. The MCD house was adjourned for the fifth time since Wednesday. The house faced repeated disruptions amid the heavy sloganeering and chaos. As per the visuals, the situation became so chaotic that the Councillors started throwing ballot boxes in the well. Some could be seen pushing others while some exchanged blows.

The chaos erupted during the election for the members of the standing committee when BJP alleged that during the secret voting, the councillors were taking photographs of the ballots through their mobile, which is a violation of the secret ballot. Henceforth, BJP has demanded the votes cast be rejected and fresh elections are conducted. While the house was adjourned, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj hit out against BJP and said, "BJP councillors are trying to postpone the standing committee polls. Supreme Court had clearly said that all elections should happen in the first sitting. So, we want the elections today only, whether it happens at night or in the morning."

He added saying, "BJP deliberately wants to conduct the whole election of standing committee again. In this way, the process will never end. The MCD Secretary has also said that they only have 245 ballots, and we can't conduct the whole election again." Hitting back at the AAP, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called it an "Anarchist Acrimonious Party".

"AAP = Anarchist Acrimonious Party. Fearing defeat and cross-voting; you engineer every attempt to sabotage and steamroll rules and laws! Then play the victim card! If this is how affairs will be conducted on Day 1 by the Mayor people of Delhi better brace themselves," he said on Twitter. Earlier, during the clash, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi had alleged that BJP councillors tried to attack her during the Standing Committee elections.

Taking on Twitter, Shelly Oberoi alleged, "BJP Councillors just tried to attack me while I was conducting the Standing Committee elections, as per Supreme Court orders! This is the extent of BJP's Gundagardi that they are trying to attack a woman Mayor." Earlier in the day, Shelly Oberoi was elected as the new mayor of Delhi after having secured 150 votes on Wednesday.

"I assure you all that I will run this House in a constitutional manner. I expect you all will maintain the dignity of the House and cooperate in its smooth functioning," Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said as soon as she was elected as the mayor earlier in the day. Terming it a "huge responsibility", the newly elected mayor expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. "Today, I got an opportunity to serve the people of Delhi".

"Goondagardi (Hooliganism) has been defeated," Shelly Oberoi took potshots at the ruling BJP. "Truth has prevailed. Today, it has been proven that the people of Delhi have won. It is not the victory of AAP. It is a victory of democracy. It is a victory of the people of Delhi," Oberoi said.

The voting began at 11.30 am after the Supreme Court ruled that the Delhi Mayor election be conducted. The court also ruled that the aldermen (nominated councillors) would have no right to vote. Later in the day, AAP candidate Aaley Mohammad Iqbal was also elected as the new deputy mayor of Delhi.

He was able to defeat BJP candidate Kamal Bagri, by bagging 147 votes as compared to 116 of Bagri. The last three attempts to elect the Mayor failed due to the political bickering between the Aam Aadmi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party. They met for the first time on January 6, second on January 24 and last on February 6.

The municipal elections in Delhi were held on December 4 and the results were announced on December 7. Aam Aadmi Party won 134 seats out of 250.