Delhi: BJP Puts Up Candidates For Mayor Post, MCD Standing Committee

The BJP, today, fielded its candidates for the elections to the post of mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee members in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

BJP's Shalimar Bagh councillor Rekha Gupta would challenge AAP's Shelly Oberoi in the 6 January mayoral elections.

The BJP has also named Kamal Bagri as deputy mayor candidate as well as Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Gajendra Daral and Pankaj Luthra for standing committee member posts.

Gajendra Daral had fought the MCD elections from Mundka as a independent. But, returned to the BJP yesterday (26 December) in the presence of Delhi BJP's working president, Virender Sachdeva and former BJP president, Vijender Gupta.

The AAP has a clear majority in the 250-member Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House, while the BJP has 105 seats.

The fight for the post of mayor and deputy mayor would take place through a secret poll. It is to be noted that the anti-defection law does not apply to the MCD. Therefore, an intense fight could be seen between the two parties, though AAP has a clear advantage.

The Delhi BJP, however, is likely to win three posts of members of the crucial standing committee of the MCD. The other three may be won by AAP.

The five-year tenure for the Mayor post sees five single-year terms on a rotation basis, with the first year being reserved for women.

The voters for the election of mayor, include 250 elected councillors, seven Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha MPs from Delhi and 15 MLAs of Legislative Assembly.

The Delhi Assembly Speaker has nominated 13 AAP MLAs and one BJP MLA to the MCD.

The total votes for mayoral election are 274. The number game favours AAP having 150 votes against 113 of the BJP.

The Congress has nine councillors while two others are independents in the MCD House.

There are 18 members in the standing committee of the MCD out of which 12 are elected from the zones and six from the House.

(with inputs from PTI)