BJP Emerges Victorious In MCD Ward Committee Election, Wins 7 Of 12 Zones In National Capital

The BJP managed to register victory in Narela, Civil Lines, Keshav Puram, Shahdara North, Najafgarh, Shahdara South and Central Zones, while AAP won in Karol Bagh, West, South, City SP and Rohini.

Delhi BJP President with MCD councillors as they join BJP, in New Delhi.

Source : PTI

The BJP emerged victorious in the MCD zonal ward polls sealing its dominance in the highest decision making body of the civic agency -- the standing committee. 

The saffron party bagged the posts of Chairman, Deputy Chairman of the zonal-level ward committees, and one member each for standing committee in seven of 12 zones, restricting Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to five zones in the keenly contested poll.

Voting in Karol Bagh and City SP did not take place as BJP did not field a candidate, while in Keshav Puram, BJP's was the sole candidate in fray, according to news agency PTI.

The BJP managed to register victory in Narela, Civil Lines, Keshav Puram, Shahdara North, Najafgarh, Shahdara South and Central Zones, while AAP won in Karol Bagh, West, South, City SP and Rohini zones.

Speaking on the BJP's victory, Councillor and MCD LoP Raja Iqbal Singh said, "From the last two years, no work was done by the MCD. This is why all councillors voted unanimously for the BJP. We won 7 out of 12 wards... This victory is very important for the people of Delhi since all projects were dependent on the Standing Committee... All are with BJP and we will win the Standing Committee."

Pawan Shehrawat and Sugandha, the councillors who recently switched to BJP from AAP, won the post of chairman for the ward committees from Narela and Central Zones respectively. The Civil Lines Zone saw a keen contest between the AAP and BJP with the saffron party winning all three posts by a margin of one vote each.

Anil Kumar Tyagi defeated Ajeet Singh Yadav by polling 10 votes, while Rekha won against her rival Gagan Chaudhary.

Former North Delhi mayor and BJP leader of opposition in MCD Raja Iqbal Singh defeated Promila Gupta of AAP by polling 10 votes as against nine by her.

In Karol Bagh Zone, AAP councillor Rakesh Joshi was elected unopposed as chairman of the ward committee, while Jyoti Gautam and Ankush Narang bagged the posts of deputy chairman and member of the standing committee in absence of any BJP candidate.

AAP candidates Mohd Sadiq, Kiran Bala, and Punardeep Singh Sawhney were elected unopposed as chairman, deputy chairman of the ward committee, and member of the standing committee from City SP Zone in the absence of any candidates from the BJP. BJP candidates were elected unopposed from the Keshav Puram Zone.

In South Zone, cross voting led to a tie between the BJP and AAP, with the AAP winning the zonal chairman post by lottery. The party's candidates also won the posts of chairman and standing committee member. In Rohini, AAP's Suman Anil Rana won the president's post against the BJP rival. Dharam Rakshak and Daulat bagged the posts of deputy chairman and standing committee member after the BJP candidates withdrew nominations for the two posts.

Similarly, in the West Zone, the BJP candidates withdrew their nominations for the three posts. The Shahdara North zone saw BJP candidates emerging victorious after defeating their Congress rivals. 

The Congress, which has nine councillors, had fielded candidates from the Shahdara North zone. The AAP candidates withdrew their nomination for the post of chairman and deputy chairman, while Congress candidate withdrew her nomination from the standing committee member.

Former East Delhi mayor Neema Bhagat was elected as a standing committee member from Shahdara South Zone.

The long pending elections were held for the first time since the unification of the trifurcated MCD in 2022. Due to a political deadlock between the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP, the polls could not take place and the matter became sub judice.