New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “killing democracy” within the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena intervened to overturn the postponement of the election for the final seat on the MCD Standing Committee.
Former Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia said that the LG acted on the orders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that BJP councillors maintained control over this important committee seat. “Tonight, on PM Narendra Modi’s orders, the BJP is killing democracy in the Delhi Municipal Corporation,” Sisodia said during an impromptu press conference.
Earlier in the day, Mayor Shelly Oberoi had adjourned the MCD House until October 5 due to chaotic scenes stemming from the frisking of councillors before the Standing Committee election. She said that the frisking is “undemocratic and insulting,” and said that such actions were unprecedented in the MCD’s history.
LG Saxena’s last-minute directive
While the mayor postponed the election, LG Saxena issued a last-minute directive instructing the MCD Commissioner to hold the vote by 10 pm on the same day. Saxena is currently in the United States and he gave instructions from abroad, which read: “The Commissioner is hereby directed to submit a report of the conduct of elections for the sixth member of the Standing Committee by 10 PM today, i.e., on 26.09.2024 positively.”
His order included contingency plans in case the mayor or deputy mayor refused to oversee the election and directing that the senior-most member of the House should preside instead.
Sisodia raises alarm
Sisodia said he has concerns about the BJP’s intentions. He said that they had prior knowledge of the LG’s directive. He accused BJP councillors of waiting in the MCD House while AAP and Congress councillors had left, saying, “They knew beforehand that the LG would write a letter, and the commissioner’s orders were coming by 10 PM. They knew everything beforehand, that’s why everyone is standing there.”
After the LG’s directive, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar promptly issued instructions to conduct the election for the vacant Standing Committee seat. The Standing Committee plays a vital role within the MCD, responsible for overseeing key financial and administrative decisions. Its composition is viewed as crucial for the management of Delhi’s municipal affairs.
BJP fires back at AAP
In response to the AAP’s claims, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said, “Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leaders have been undermining democracy in the municipality for the past two years. Why are they afraid to vote for the formation of the Standing Committee? They fear elections even when they have a majority, which indicates a lack of trust in their own party members.”
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