BJP accuses AAP of cross-voting in mayor’s election, obstructing Standing Committee polls

PTI, Feb 23, 2023, 8:20 AM IST

As the voting for MCD standing committee carried on till late Wednesday night amid adjournments, BJP accused AAP members of obstructing the election process and also of cross voting in the election for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor which underwent earlier in the day. The AAP rubbished the claim saying the question doesn’t arise and what matters is that AAP won both those posts.

Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor claimed Aam Aadmi Party councillors ”openly cross voted” in mayor and deputy mayor elections earlier in the day. ”There were 150 votes of AAP while two independents and one Congress Councillors openly announced their support to AAP taking their tally to 153 but party mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi got just 150 votes. ”While BJP which had 113 votes got 116 votes in mayor election clearly showing three Aam Aadmi Party councillors voted for BJP today,” Kapoor claimed. He also alleged that AAP never had the intention to let election for the Standing Committee happen.

”Now with the way AAP first obstructed Standing Committee election by allowing use of phones and later …. by making its men to throw bottles in house from visitors’ gallery clearly shows that they won’t allow Standing Committee election to take place as they are losing it,” Kapoor said in a statement. ”If need be BJP will go to court and between people.” Delhi BJP Working President Virendra Sachdeva slammed AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal saying he knew already that he will throw a spanner in the Standing Committee election, fearing defeat.

”Shame on you@ArvindKejriwal – We were saying from the beginning that you will not allow the standing committee elections to be held after the mayor and deputy mayor elections — and you have proved that you will not allow it due to fear of loss,” he said in a tweet.

AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj hit out at the BJP saying its leaders were making ”silly claims” after losing mayor and deputy mayor elections. ”Initially they said that the AAP is afraid of election of the mayor as cross-voting may take place and they may lose,” he said. ”Now that the BJP has lost, it is coming up with these silly claims over cross-voting. Arguments regarding whose vote was declared invalid and who cross-voted is not so important. What eventually matters is that the AAP candidates became mayor and deputy mayor,” he said. Bhardwaj asserted the AAP will eventually also have a majority in the Standing Committee. BJP councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat lodged a complaint with newly elected mayor, alleging that ”unfair practices” were taking place with AAP councillors carrying mobile phones with them while casting vote in standing committee member election. Aale Mohammad of AAP defeated BJP candidate Kamal Bagri by 31 votes in deputy mayor election.