The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) asserted that the repeated postponement of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Ward Committee elections reflected deep internal rifts within the BJP. MCD Leader of Opposition (LoP) Ankush Narang said the BJP government had “run away” from the elections for the third time, after the June 3 polls and May 29 nomination process were deferred until further orders. Stating that due procedure had not been followed, he cited Section 53(2) of the DMC Act, which states that election dates cannot be fixed or postponed without the Chairman’s approval, and questioned on whose instructions the Corporation Secretary had taken the decision.
On Tuesday, AAP LoP in the MCD Ankush Narang said, “Under the BJP’s four-engine government, internal conflict, distribution of chairmanships, and horse-trading had reached their peak.” On one hand, he said, Zone Chairman posts were being sold within the BJP, while on the other, the party feared losing several zones.
Ankush Narang added, “The BJP feared that resentment among its own councillors could lead to zones slipping out of its control.” He asserted that the BJP was repeatedly murdering democracy in its greed for power. He further noted that a letter had been issued today through the Corporation Secretary stating that the Ward Committee elections scheduled for June 3 had been postponed until further orders.
“Nominations for these elections were supposed to take place on May 29. Section 53(2) of the DMC Act clearly shows that dates for Ward Committee elections could neither be fixed nor postponed without the Chairman’s approval,” he stated, and questioned how the Corporation Secretary had ultimately postponed the elections.
Ankush Narang further noted that Delhi had a four-engine BJP government and that the BJP also controlled the MCD. “There is massive anger among BJP councillors over the Ward Committee and Chairman elections, leading to infighting within the party,” he highlighted.
He noted that the BJP was selling chairmanships, due to which many of its old councillors were upset and angry. “Four zones are currently with the Aam Aadmi Party and eight with the BJP. Due to councillors’ resentment and the sale of chairmanships, the BJP fear that even its eight zones might slip away and additional zones could go to the Aam Aadmi Party,” he said.
The AAP LoP in the MCD emphasised that the BJP should be ashamed for using the Corporation Secretary as a tool to issue such Tughlaqi farmaan. “The elections have been postponed without following the required process and without obtaining the signatures of four Chairmen, while no fresh date has been announced either,” he noted.
He further said that this was the third time the BJP had fled from elections out of fear that its zones might slip out of its hands. “The BJP should be ashamed. The clear reason for not announcing the next election date is the severe internal problems and resentment within the BJP, along with the ongoing sale of Chairman seats,” he highlighted.
Ankush Narang said the BJP was frightened and that BJP councillors themselves were opposing their own party. He said there was deep dissent within the party and that this fear was why the BJP kept postponing zone elections repeatedly. “Chairman posts are being sold, rates are being fixed, and bids are being made every day. On the other hand, councillors are so angry that the BJP feared losing several zones,” he stated.
Ankush Narang concluded by stating that the BJP should be ashamed of repeatedly postponing the elections. “This is now the third time the elections has been deferred. Zone elections are extremely important because after April 1, Ward Committees could function only once a new Chairman is elected,” he noted. He further pointed out that the entire months of April and May had already passed, yet the BJP had still not announced the next election date.
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