BJP wants to capture MCD by unconstitutional means: AAP

New Delhi: People have chosen the AAP to helm the Municipal Corporation of Delhi but the BJP wants to "capture" it through "unconstitutional" means, party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said on Friday. "We have moved the Supreme Court, seeking directions to elect a mayor in a time-bound manner. It makes clear that we are in favour of the polls but the BJP doesn't want it," the AAP leader said in a video message. Bharadwaj said the BJP's tenure in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) ended in 2022. "Since then, the saffron party has tried to keep the municipal body under its control on one pretext or the other -- be it unification, delimitation or mayoral polls." The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to list for hearing on February 3 a plea of Shelly Oberoi -- the AAP's candidate for mayor -- seeking directions to ensure mayoral election in Delhi in a time-bound manner.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and comprising Justice Dipankar Datta took note of the submissions of senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for Oberoi, on early holding of the mayoral poll. It will be listed on February 3, the CJI said. The AAP has sought that the top court issue directions to elect the mayor in a time-bound manner and that the aldermen should not be allowed to vote as they do not have the right to do so under Article 243R of the Constitution and Section 3 of the DMC Act. The mayoral election in the national capital was stalled on Tuesday for the second time this month as the MCD House was adjourned indefinitely by the Lieutenant Governor-appointed presiding officer following a ruckus created by some councillors.

The first meeting of the newly-elected MCD House on January 6 was also adjourned amid a ruckus by the AAP and BJP members. The AAP won 134 of the 250 wards in the MCD polls held in December. The BJP managed to win 104 wards.